


Mystia: The Templar Inquisitor

by ShadowArtemis4456



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 07:01:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 52,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17596646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowArtemis4456/pseuds/ShadowArtemis4456
Summary: "Cassandra, would you mind going to have Bull, Vivienne, and Varric get prepared?""Of course Herald," Cassandra nodded as she walked away to send a scout out to get Varric and Bull."Leliana?""Yes, Herald?""Get as many as you can ready for Redcliffe, as much as I would rather go for the Templars. A magister is not someone we should leave unchecked," Mystia sighed before turning and walking out of the room.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is being brought over from its home website: Wattpad. Please excuse the mess it is and tell me what you all think? if you want to that is.

_Ebony colored hair flew in the ponytail it was kept in as a young woman ran for her life. Salvation was just a few feet ahead, within the waiting and outstretched hand of someone covered by glistening white light. "Please! Help me!" The young woman begged as she began to climb up towards the glowing figure. She felt something pulling on her left leg and managed to quickly kick it away with her right foot, but as she and the person reached for each other more of whatever had been assaulting the young woman came in droves as she heard the skittering sounds of what seemed to be spiders coming after her. Just as the young woman reached out towards the figure, in the form of a woman, her world went black._

The pain was what woke her from the nightmare she was having, and looking around the room she was in, the young woman sighed heavily. When she went to rub her forehead with her left hand, she saw the reason she had woken. A sickly green mark was upon the palm of the hand and she shivered; falling back on her bed, she stared up at the ceiling while biting her lower lip. She had no recollection of how that mark came to be on her palm, but since it appeared her world had seemed to turn upside down and now she figured her luck was just shit. Closing her eyes she began to hum a slight tune to herself, a tune that was so familiar to her that many would have assumed that she had learned it from an early age and in truth, they would have been right. _"What in the hell is happening to me?"_ She asked herself with a frown as tears pricked in her eyes. She felt the prick of pain in her hand again, sat up and glared at it, though she knew that it would do no good. Curling her hand into a fist, she growled low, stood and began to put on her armor; sitting on her bed and thinking would do her no good, she needed to hit something and she needed to hit it hard. Grabbing her sword and shield, she headed out of the little house like place and began the trek over to the training grounds (mostly the end that was furthest away from those camped near there) where she knew no one would be at this time as it was only just past two in the morning. Granted there were people walking around but that was because they were the night patrol.

Nodding to a few that she passed by, the young woman went to the furthest part of the training ground and began her usual training regimen, not realizing that someone was watching her now, but the person watching was a patient man. But he did notice that she stopped to grip her left wrist in her other hand as pain spread through it, once the pain subsided he saw her shoot a glare towards the sickly green thing in the sky, the thing they called The Breach and somewhere deep inside of himself, he felt sorry for her. He watched as she inhaled a deep breath and refocused on what she was doing, but eventually, she gave up and began the trek back to the place that served as her room. Sighing quietly to himself he rushed to catch up with her and called out to alert her to his presence. "Herald!" He called out as the young woman stopped and turned to see him jogging to catch up.

"Commander Cullen?" She asked sounding surprised to see him up so late or early, it was always hard for her to tell.

"I saw you training earlier, are you alright?" He asked her quietly as she frowned. Since he had met her, his gaze seemed to always be on the lookout for her and as such he had come to learn her habits and 'ticks'. When she was sad or greatly upset, she would seclude herself for a bit to think; but when she was raging mad or extremely frustrated, if she wasn't out doing what needed to be done for the Inquisition, she would often turn to the nearest training dummy and vent out her frustrations, unless the large, burly horned man named The Iron Bull was awake then she would work out her anger with him and he was no pushover when it came to her emotions and training. It was needless to say that Bull was by far taller then Cullen and made the poor man feel almost shorter than their resident dwarf, but when it came to the Herald, Bull saw her as "his girl" not in a relationship sense but in the family bond kind of way, a platonic kind of love. Cullen, on the other hand, was beginning to adore her (though he would never dare admit it out loud, at least not right now) as the Herald (who had yet to share her name with him) was smart, beautiful, and what he was coming to like most was that she was so willing to learn new things and was somehow always so nurturing when it came to everyone around her. Yes, she would try to hide her feelings at times, to pretend that she was almost emotionless, but Cullen had seen her damn near break down in tears when she had heard how many people had died since all this began so many days ago.

"If I said yes, it would be a lie," The Herald closed her eyes for a moment. "But you don't need my troubles on your shoulders," She said as she turned to continue walking with him on her heels.

"Herald, we..." Cullen stopped for a moment and inhaled a silent breath, he knew that she preferred not to speak much about the others in context when around him so he changed his wording a bit. "You are carrying such a heavy burden on your shoulders that it can't be easy for you, at least not as easy as you are trying to make it seem. It would make me feel better if you told me something...at least so the burden is a little bit easier to bear." He told her as she stopped to look at him with a curious look in her eyes.

"As tempting as that offer is, Commander. I don't think now would be the best time to pour out my life's story."

"Valid point, but maybe one day?" He asked her hopefully as she thought it over.

Huffing out a defeated sigh, she nodded. "Perhaps when that," she waved to the Breach. "Is better sealed, I will be more willing to tell you parts of my story. Though knowing myself as I do, you will probably find me about ready to finally have a momentary mental breakdown and either be crying quietly or full on sobbing depending on how bad the stress starts to get to me," She told him as he nodded. Some part of him could almost understand where she was coming from with that. She hadn't asked for this, yet it was thrown onto her. She was a full-on unwilling participant in this whole "the world's gone batshit crazy" thing, yet, though she took each stride with shaky, yet almost confident steps and never seemed to falter despite the weight of the world on her shoulders and back that seemed to want to push her into an early grave. In fact, as Cullen thought about it, he remembered seeing her turn it around and like an unbroken mare, she had reared back and was now taking all this for one hell of a wild ride. Before he could speak, the screech of an owl sounded nearby and the Herald held out her arm as a beautiful snowy white owl landed on her gauntlet. From what Cullen knew, she had raised this beautiful creature from the day she had found it all alone with its dead parents nearby, though she had tried to release it several times it continued to come back to her and so she gave up on releasing it back into the wild. He watched it move slowly up her arm to rest on her shoulder and watched as it cuddled close to her with her smiling as it rubbed its head against her cheek as if it was a cat instead of a predatory bird. Watching the two interact, Cullen remembered the day he had first seen the beautiful bird as that had also been the day he had first met her and shivered slightly as he remembered coming a little too close to being attacked as the creature had seen him as a threat to the Herald, though she had stopped it in time from harming him.

****

_Cullen looked around and saw_  a group of four coming up, One of them raised their hand and focused on the green rift that had opened up and he watched as the hole was basically slammed shut in the face of a demon trying to make its way there. He turned around and saw two of the others walking forward, but saw the person he figured to be the most important at the moment. "Lady Cassandra, you managed to close the rift? Well done," he said as the woman he spoke to looked from him to the one who had closed the rift.

"Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the Prisoner's doing." Cassandra smiled towards the one they called the prisoner, and he felt his heart stop. He was amazed at how beautiful she looked with her naturally ebony hair pulled back into a ponytail, with some of it having escaped its confinement to rest along the left side of her face. Her sharp blue eyes would have normally caused him fright if they were in a different situation but right now he was under some stress, so it didn't.

"Is it? I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here," Cullen said keeping a semi-straight face as he spoke.

"Your not the only one hoping that," the young woman retorted as he watched her carefully.

"We will see soon enough, won't we?" He asked as she seemed to almost bristle. He was testing her for the moment and was satisfied with the response she gave as he turned back to Cassandra. "The way to the temple should be clear. Leliana will try to meet you there," he told the elder woman.

"Then we best move quickly. Give us time, Commander." Cassandra told him as the prisoner bit her tongue to keep quiet.

"Maker watch over you- for all our sakes," Cullen backed up a bit but before any more words could be spoken and before he could move any further the haunting screech of an owl came from somewhere and everyone looked at each other in confusion as the woman who was the prisoner seemed to automatically hold out her arm as the creature that had called out came from nowhere. Watching with awe, Cullen could barely believe his eyes as the snow colored bird landed gently on the prisoner's arm and watched as she pulled her arm in to begin to scratch on its forehead. This majestic bird was mostly white with little to none of the charcoal black that many of its species had; But when it turned its head to look at everyone present, it's feathers ruffled at the sight of Cullen and it made several noises that had her holding the bird in place while whispering gentle words.

"It is alright my little snowflake," They heard her speaking to the bird as it watched Cullen with a look that was more warning than anything. "Winter," She spoke the bird's name and it turned back to her spreading its wings and cuddled close to her in a hugging manner as she held the bird close. Once the reunion of the woman and bird was complete, the bird left to disappear into the falling snow and Cassandra looked to the prisoner.

"What was that?"

"That was one of my animal companions," The woman replied as the question of "how many animal companions she had" came up, "I am sure with time you will meet the other one."

"Why did she?"

"React to the Commander as she did? I don't know but I'm not one to ignore the feelings of my animal companions," the young woman responded as she looked back to the Commander; but soon enough, Cullen raced over to help someone move away from that area as the woman, Cassandra and the other two vanished  _to close the breach temporarily._

****

Cullen looked back towards the Herald and saw that she was watching him with interest. "I'm sorry!" he apologized quickly but she shook her head. She knew he was still adjusting to seeing her with at least one of her animal companions, be it Winter or the huge ebony colored wolf that she had named Fang, though the latter had almost succeeded in trying to harm Cullen, thankfully the Herald had stopped the wolf by placing herself between the canine and the Commander and had leaped at the wolf to pin the creature down and standing over the defeated wolf she reminded the creature that she was **_the_** Alpha between the wolf and her and Cullen had come to realize now why she had bristled at his tone the day they had met. She was so used to being a dominate because of the wolf, that his presence was threatening to her rank with the wolf. Cullen had since then read up about wolves (and how the pack hierarchy went) and now knew how to better act when Fang was around. When the wolf was around, Cullen acted a bit more submissive towards the Herald and often he would see the Herald watching him with slight amusement at the fact that he was doing that for the wolf and when he did catch her watching him, she always had a smile on her face and by him doing that he found she was now opening up to him more than any of the others. Before he could speak again he watched as she gave a slight shiver and wondered why. "Are you cold?" he asked worriedly as she shook her head and looked towards the horizon away from the breach.

"Just a bad feeling that someone I once knew, and also slighted at one time, is going to soon arrive," And she wasn't wrong as that said person was almost there.


	2. One

Shouting was what caused the Herald to look from the war table as Cullen and the other three looked towards the door, where a man came striding in like he owned the place. Standing with legs slightly apart with her back straight as a board, the Herald frowned as Cullen walked from around the table, but she stretched out an arm and he stopped in his tracks. "So this is where you've been hiding!" The newcomer who had burst into the room snarled as everyone but him noticed Fang moving in the shadows, making sure to remain crouched low.

"Oh yes, because I've been trying _so hard_ to hide from you," The Herald almost growled as Cullen wondered who this man was, "What do you want Jakob?" She demanded.

"Don't act like you don't know why, Mystia," Jakob snarled again reaching out to take her arm in his grasp. Before anyone could really act, the Herald, now known as Mystia, turned on her heel to face the man and (with a slight growl) barked out a word that had Fang, leaping from the shadows and pinning the man down as Cassandra drew her weapon and Cullen leapt in front of Mystia in a very defensive stance, his own weapon drawn. But soon the wolf was thrown off the man, and Fang yelped in pain as Jakob leapt to his feet with a snarl at the same time Mystia recognized what was going on with him.

"Shit!" She growled low as she knew what she had to do. **_"OPEN THE DOORS TO THE CHANTRY! NOW!"_**  She yelled as she bolted past Cullen and full on body slammed into Jakob and together the two went flying through the first set of doors in the chantry. Unsheathing the hidden dagger at her side, Mystia slashed in an arc slashing Jakob across the arm and with blood splatter against the wall, Jakob growled and bolted after her as she _barreled_ through the chantry and out of the doors. Racing as far as she could away from the town, she heard the man right behind her and knew that she had to get him to a secluded location as she knew what his kind could do.  _Forgive me, everyone..._  She begged silently as she led Jakob to a rather secluded spot, where she turned on her heels and leaped towards him and dug her dagger into the man's exposed wound. Jakob gripped her around the throat, flung her away from him, and she landed heavily on her right shoulder; she managed to hold back a yelp, but soon managed to stand up and looked towards Jakob who had transformed into a half-beast creature and as she stood she immediately re-identified him as a werewolf. Again, she asked for forgiveness from the others before she closed her eyes as she heard the others come running up. When Jakob turned towards the members of the Inquisition, Mystia threw her dagger into his back and turning back to her Jakob snarled as she drew her sword. Her rival roared out and before any of them could really react, Mystia rushed forward with a snarl and slammed into Jakob. She had her shield in hand, and with a swift shield bash sent him flying across the area away from the members of the Inquisition, and throwing both her sword and shield down onto (and into as in the case of the sword) ground, but she also curled her gauntleted (with its claw-like fingers) hand into a fist and _punched_ Jakob straight across the face.

Jakob recovered swiftly after shaking his head and lunging back towards her, gripped her by the throat and as he stood straight, she struggled to free herself from his grasp, while he spoke. "You should have come home when you had the chance. I would have forgiven you and we could have been married. But now you are sullied by these weaklings!" Mystia was starting to lose consciousness as her hands clawed at his arm. She was slowly becoming too weak to do anything, but then she remembered to stop struggling and smiled which ended up confusing him.

"Humans...elves...dwarves and..." She was struggling to breathe while the others could only watch, "...Qunari are not weak!" She growled as she managed to give a whistle and soon he released her as Winter divebombed his face. Mystia landed on the ground and remained in a kneeling position but then, she leaped up just fast enough to throw another dagger into his heart as Winter flew away. "They are more trustworthy-" Mystia frowned as Jakob attempted one last attack. She dodged but ended up kneeling on the ground; she looked to her left side and frowned as she saw the gaping wound but then looked back to Jakob who lay still with eyes starting to glaze over. "...Ten times more trustworthy then what you ever were," She managed as she closed her eyes with head bowed towards the ground all while fighting off the urge to fall over and pass out.

_**"BOSS!"**_ Bull's voice echoed towards her, but she didn't respond. She heard the others also call out to her but both her vision and hearing were trying to slip away, yet she continued to fight it.

_I will not be weak. I will not pass out. Not here._  With that repeating over and over in her head, Mystia stood up but she felt herself slightly swaying back and forth. She fought the urge as she turned and retrieved her weapon and shield, but once both were on her back and at her side she felt herself fall to her knees. She had spent too much energy for her own health. Giving out a slight groan, Mystia went to stand back up but soon found that her energy was practically non-existent anymore and finally caved into the sweetness that was sleep, but as she fell, she felt arms catching her but couldn't be too sure who had caught her as she was long since passed being unconscious.

****

Cullen couldn't help but stare at Mystia, who lay unconscious in his arms as he carried her back to the encampment. Her hair was no longer in its ponytail but was flowing freely, but right now even though his training was screaming at him, his mind and soul were torn. He had started to get her to open up to him but what he had seen not long ago really changed up the game. He wondered something as he approached the town where the healers were immediately alerted to him incoming with the Herald. For three rather long days, Mystia did not awaken but the moment she was finally awake, the first thing she did was check on everyone else before entering the small room that served as the war room. Cullen looked up from a report as she entered, felt his heart skip a few beats in both worry and joy at seeing her up and about. "Herald!" He couldn't help himself as he left the relief flood his voice.

"Are you sure you should be moving about so soon?" The only Antivan in the room, Lady Josephine Montilyet, asked as Mystia looked at her.

"According to the healers, I shouldn't be. But I refuse to lay still when I have a job that needs to be done," Mystia frowned. "Besides I've had worse when it comes to being wounded, so much so that it makes this," She motioned to her side. "Look like absolutely nothing." She informed them shaking her head. Closing her eyes for a brief moment to give herself a short respite, she was quick to change the subject and get things back underway. As she studied the map on the table Cullen and Leliana, the spymaster, began the ages old argument of trying to get Mystia to get going for either the Mages or Templars, while she looked over the map and thought to herself. Mystia sighed heavily grabbing their attention, then turned to Cassandra. "Cassandra, would you mind going to tell Bull, Vivienne, and Varric to get prepared?"

"Of course Herald," Cassandra nodded as she walked away to send a scout to deliver the message.

"Leliana?"

"Yes, Herald?"

"Get as many as you can ready for Redcliffe, as much as I would rather go for the Templars. A magister is not someone we... That ** _I_ **should leave unchecked," Mystia sighed before turning and walking out of the room. She was starting to get a headache from the arguing and Cullen watched her leave with Cassandra hot on her heels. He heard Mystia ask Cassandra something and heard the woman reply with a happy voice as if Mystia had suggested something she was going to enjoy. And to say that Cassandra wouldn't enjoy whatever Mystia had asked would have been a straight-up lie; what Mystia had asked her about was something to do with cutting her hair shorter too which Cassandra was more than happy to help with, So when Cullen next saw Mystia, before she left for Redcliffe, he noted that her hair was no longer down to the middle of her back but was cut to shoulder length though it was back in a ponytail. He found it slightly odd that she would have her hair cut like that, but chose to ignore it. He watched her leave with a heavy heart and prayed for her safe return though if anyone had asked he would claim it as "they needed her as she was the only one who could close the Breach" but in truth, it was because he was starting to feel something more towards her then the friendship they had developed in the short time they had known each other.

As several days passed, he began to worry.  _Has something happened to her?_  He wondered as he stood in the Chantry, but when Cassandra appeared, she rounded them up and told them what she knew. Cullen wanted to sigh in relief at the fact that Mystia was okay, but was slightly bristling at the thought of so many mages running free. And so when Mystia walked in he was speaking, or more like arguing, with Josephine now. "It is not a matter up for debate. There will be abominations among the Mages, and we must be prepared!" He told the Ambassador as she countered his words.

"If we rescind the offer of an alliance, it makes the Inquisition appear incompetent at best, tyrannical at worst," Josephine told him as Mystia finished walking up, looking slightly confused, then Cullen rounded on Mystia.

"What were you thinking, turning Mages loose with no oversight? The Veil is torn open." He was angry at her but she met him head on and without missing a beat responded.

"We need them to close the Breach." She felt herself frowning at him. "It's not going to work if we make enemies out of them." She told him in her 'take no bullshit' tone of voice, a tone of voice he had heard only from those who had been (or were) his superiors.

Cullen found himself backing off slightly, he was not used to that tone of voice coming from her. "I know we need them for the Breach, but they could do as much damage as the demons themselves!" He frowned meeting Mystia's sharp blue eyes. He took notice that her hair was wet and realized that she had taken a bath before coming here.

But before Mystia could fire off a remark, Cassandra's voice cut through as everyone looked at her. "Enough arguing! None of us were there. We cannot afford to second-guess our people." She spoke up as the voice of reason at that moment and watched as Mystia bit back the remark she would have made. "The sole point of the Herald's mission was to get the Mages' aid, and that was accomplished."

Then a new voice spoke up and Mystia seemed to almost perk up. "The voice of pragmatism speaks! And here I was just starting to enjoy the circular arguments," The mage Mystia had met, a man by the name of Dorian, smiled over towards Mystia showing his support in a small manner. Seeing this transpire between the two sent dark thoughts creeping into Cullen's mind but he kept it from showing as Cassandra spoke up again.

"Closing the Breach is all that matters," Cassandra looked at the strange mage, then turned away to look towards Mystia who sighed.

"I got a quite not so nice taste of the consequences if we fail. Let's make sure we don't," Mystia seemed to almost deflate with her words and Cullen noted the weariness in her voice.

Cassandra gave Mystia a reassuring smile, "We will not fail."

Then it was Leliana's turn to speak, "We should look into the things you saw in this "dark future". The assassination of Empress Celene? A demon army?" Leliana looked towards Mystia who seemed to really not want to speak of it at that moment and shot Dorian a grateful look when he interjected on her behalf.

"Sounds like things a Tevinter cult might do. Orlais falls. The Imperium rises. Chaos for everyone!"

"One battle at a time!" Cullen noted the look Mystia gave to the mage and felt himself bristling even further. "It is going to take time to organize our troops and the Mage recruits. Let's take this to the war room," It was more of a demand than a suggestion, but then in a lighter tone of voice, he turned to Mystia. "Join us. None of this means anything without your mark after all." He smiled at her and noticed that she caught on quickly to his joking tone.

"And I'd hoped to sit out the assault on the Breach. Take a nap. Maybe go for a walk..." She smiled in return at him.

"What is it they say? "No rest for the wicked"?" He asked trying to keep the mood which he noted seemed to relax her a bit.

"Meet us there when you're ready." Josephine intervened but Cullen knew that what he had done had worked on Mystia.

Dorian silently noted what had transpired between Mystia and the Commander but said nothing on it.  _They will come to realize it soon enough on their own,_  He thought before speaking, "I'll skip the war council," He started as everyone looked towards him, "But I would like to see this Breach up close if you don't mind." His words threw Mystia for a loop.

"Then you're...staying?" Mystia asked with confusion clear in her voice as he smiled again.

"Oh! Didn't I mention? The south is so charming and rustic. I adore it to little pieces."

"I must admit, I'm surprised," Mystia admitted as she felt Cullen's gaze on her.

"We both saw what could happen, what this "Elder One" and his cult are trying to do," Dorian frowned now, "not everything from Tevinter is terrible. Some of us have fought for aeons against this sort of madness. It's my duty to stand with you. That future will  _not_  come to pass," He told them in his most determined voice.

Mystia couldn't help but smile then, "There's no one I'd rather be stranded in time with, future or present." She said as he returned her smile.

"Excellent choice!" he exclaimed happily before he gave a bit of a joke. "But let's not get "stranded" again anytime soon, yes?" At the look of agreeance, he knew where she stood on that matter.

Cullen spoke then, causing Mystia to look towards him. "I'll begin preparations to march to the summit. Maker willing, the mages will be enough to grant us victory," He said as Mystia nodded. For a while, they went their sperate ways, but as Mystia watched them go she felt her nerves about ready to give out on her. She closed her eyes and focused on her beating heart. With each beat, she felt her nerves calming down though it didn't help the moment Cullen came to find her to walk with her to the war room after sending someone to gather the troops. "Herald?" He inquired softly while placing a hand on her shoulder which, in turn, caused her to jump away from him, with her hand automatically going to where her sword rested at her side in its sheath.

"HOLY SHIT!" She yelped before turning to see Cullen, who was now apologizing for the fright he had given her. "It's fine, I was just lost in thought is all," She told him now trying to calm her racing heart. He furrowed his brow but did not press the matter as he accompanied her to the war room where the others gathered as well.

******

Mystia looked up at the Breach, then to her hand which was starting to sting with the rampant power that was also linked to the Breach. Her hand soon erupted with the power and she inwardly struggled with it, but with a look towards Cassandra and the bald elven mage named Solas, she gave only the slightest of nods and walked towards the Breach, feeling Cullen's eyes on her as she did so. When she stopped, she could hear Cassandra and Solas speaking and knew that soon her fate would be decided. All she could do was pray silently that she was allowed to live, and so with that prayer in her mind, she opened the breach again and struggled to move to the middle of the rampant power around her. When she stopped, she felt the power of the mages and focused everything on closing the damned thing for good; with a final shove of energy she sealed the breach and a blinding light and forceful energy push sent everyone reeling. When the light vanished, she was kneeling and soon felt Cassandra's hand on her back. "You did it," Cassandra said in relief as Mystia looked to the woman while standing. All around her cheers went up, yet some dark force whispered to Mystia that this was far from over and she could only pray that whatever was coming next, she would be strong enough to face it. Mystia wasn't entirely sure when, as things seemed to be going by so fast, but soon enough she found herself overlooking the people as they revealed at the sealing of the Breach. As much as she inwardly wished she could join them, something felt wrong and so she stood alone so as not to be a party-pooper but could feel the eyes of some of her companions, as well as felt the amber-gold eyes of the Commander upon her.

Cullen had certainly noted that despite the Breach being sealed, Mystia stood apart from everyone. She seemed almost melancholy, as if she was having a bad feeling, and it worried him. Granted, he wasn't joining in on the festivities himself, but to see the woman he had come to know in such a short time being in such an odd mood had him on edge. He could see the mages, Templars and everyone else laughing and dancing, but something about her not joining in had set off alarm bells and so he continued to watch her carefully. Soon he knew  _WHY_  she wasn't and listened to a scout reporting in. Soon the bells tolled and he went rushing to get everyone to their stations. "Forces approaching! To arms!" He called out as he went to the gates where Mystia was quick to meet up with him (With Bull, Dorian, and Varric in tow of course) When Cassandra asked his name he reported what he knew. "One watchguard reporting. It's a massive force. The bulk over the mountain." He said pointing at the gate, not noticing when Mystia walked around Josephine and him.

"Under what banner?" Josephine asked as Mystia noted something.

"None."

"None?" Josephine was slightly shocked, that was until everyone finally noticed what Mystia was seeing.

Cullen drew his sword upon noting that Mystia had not yet done so, and was quick to follow her as she opened the door for someone. As she went out he was hot on her heels and stopped when both she and he saw a young man. "I'm Cole. I came to warm you. To help. People are coming to hurt you. You probably already knew."

"What is this? What is going on?" Mystia asked of Cole as he spoke again.

"The Templars come to kill you." He replied as Cullen moved to put himself between Mystia and this strange person.

"Templars?" he was soon between the two and looked towards Mystia who seemed confused, probably just as much as he felt. "Is this the Order's response to our talks with the Mages? Attacking blindly?" he could see Mystia seemed to become overwhelmed with fear, wonder, and great worry.

"The Red Templars went to the Elder One. You know him? He knows you. You took his Mages," Cole told Mystia as she looked at him. "There," Cullen's and Mystia's gazes followed Cole's pointed finger.

Who they saw standing and looking over the town and at them had Mystia bristling as Cullen spoke. "I know that man...But this Elder One..." Cullen was quick to look towards Mystia, He could almost feel the energy rolling off of her as he recognized the look that rested on her face now.

"He's very angry that you took his mages," Cole told them as Mystia clenched her jaw for a moment.

"Cullen! Give me a plan. Anything," She commanded as she looked towards him.

"Haven is no fortress," Cullen told her as his mind went to work. "If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle." He frowned as she felt her gaze looking around only to land on one of the Trebuchets nearby. "Get out there and hit that force. Use everything you can." He said following her gaze, then it struck him what she would end up doing and knew that he had to help buy her some time. He glanced back at her, before turning and addressing the mages and the Inquisition.


	3. Two

Mystia watched the flaming boulder as it sailed through the air and smiled as the avalanche of snow blocked the path to Haven. But then the sound of something flying through the air had her smile disappearing as she was barely missed by flying splinters of wood and metal, Managing to look up, the sight of a dragon had her almost pausing in her tracks. "Shit!" Varric hollered out as Mystia urged the soldiers around them to move. "Who ordered the end of the damned world?"

 _ **"EVERYONE TO THE GATES!"**_ Mystia called out, as the soldiers did as commanded. She stopped for a moment to help out the smith to get into his forge for some important things and once he was out they continued to the gates where Cullen urged them in.

"We need everyone back to the Chantry! It's the only thing that might hold against that beast," Cullen looked towards Mystia, "At this point... Just make them work for it," He said turning to head to the Chantry with her and her companions following shortly after she helped another person.

"Move!" A familiar voice spoke up as she made sure everyone else was in the building before she bolted in last, "Keep moving! The Chantry is your shelter!" Mystia's eyes landed on the man everyone called Chancellor Rodrick and something in her realized that he was acting odd. When she was in the building, she turned to see the man collapse into Cole's arms and it struck her why he was acting differently as the doors were closed. She didn't need to see the wound or even have the sense of smell of a dog or wolf to know, she could just tell that Rodrick was dying.

"He tried to stop a Templar. The blade went deep. He's going to die," Cole said as Rodrick responded.

"What a charming boy." The older man managed to say.

As Mystia followed Cole and Rodrick, Cullen came from a side area and addressed Mystia. "Herald! Our position is not good." Cullen came up to Mystia as she frowned. To him, that was becoming too common for her but this time it was called for. "That dragon stole back anytime you might have earned us." He reported. He was feeling defeated but Mystia was not one for giving up. Cole spoke then, claiming the dragon as an archdemon then said something else that Cullen missed as Mystia spoke up then.

"If you know why he wants me just say it." She said as Cole shook his head.

"I don't. He's too loud. It hurts to hear him," Cole told her as Mystia held off her feelings of frustration. A few more words were spoken and Cullen huffed.

"You don't like...? Herald, there are no tactics to make this survivable." Cullen informed Mystia, as he tried to hold back on his feelings of despair; He was coming to adore Mystia more and more, but for this to be the last moments he would see her or even hear her voice was all but killing him. "The only thing that slowed them was the avalanche. We could turn the remaining trebuchets, cause one last slide," he suggested as she shook her head.

"To do that would bury all of us. I won't let anyone else die this day," She said with a clenched jaw. When it was suggested to follow Rodrick out of the area where the people could survive, Cullen agreed that the idea could work.

"But what of your escape?" Cullen asked as Mystia turned away. His heart stopped at that moment as his fear spiked through the roof.  _She doesn't plan on..._ He could barely think straight now but managed to speak. "Perhaps you will surprise it. Find a way..." He kept his voice from breaking, but it was only just barely. He turned and began to issue his orders, but when he saw Mystia turn around he met her eyes for what felt like the last time. "They'll load the trebuchets. Keep the Elder One's attention until we are above the treeline," Cullen watched helplessly as Mystia turned her back towards him once more. "If we are to have a chance- If  _you_  are to have a chance- Let that thing hear you," He told her as she stopped for a brief moment, only to continue on with her three close friends on her heels.

****

Cullen stood at the entrance to the area the Inquisition was making a temporary base at and was watching for any signs of Mystia, though he knew the chances of her having survived were slim to none. So far all he had heard was the howling of wolves as they hounded something, but when his gaze landed upon a familiar green light he knew what they were hounding and called out. **_"There it's her!"_**

 _ **"Thank the Maker!"**_ Cassandra cried out as she followed right on Cullen's heels. Cullen watched as Mystia hit the ground, her energy was fully spent which caused her to almost fall over as she passed out and he was quick to lift her up into his arms being mindful of her shoulder that he had noticed her favoring. His heart could beat normally again, but as he walked, he noticed several more things about her. She was no longer wearing her breastplate (to which he figured that that had been damaged most likely beyond repair) but the thing that frightened him the most was that she had neither her sword nor her shield, but then he focused on walking swiftly and somehow surefootedly back to the camp and carried her directly to the healers, who were then swift to chase him away as they set to tending to her. Which in truth, was fine by him as he was particularly useless when it came to the injuries she was suffering from; once the healers had done what they could for her, Cullen made it a point to check up on her at least once a day, though when asked he dismissed as his duty to at least see to her but there was actually another reason he visited her. His feelings for her were the only thing keeping his symptoms of withdrawal from Lyrium at bay, but as Cullen walked towards the Healers tent he heard Dorian's voice and stopped to listen in on the conversation he was having with Mystia.

"Dorian, you do realize what I am right?"

Dorian had a smile in his voice. "I do, but frankly you are different compared to the others. To include your dear Commander. Are you aware of smelling different?" he asked as Cullen wondered what Dorian meant.

"I...smell...different?" Mystia questioned as Dorian nodded.

"Like a field after a lightning strike but you also have this wonderful spring rain with a lavender scent that seems to almost tie in perfectly with the Lyrium," Cullen was taken aback as he listened to Dorian's words.

"I'm not sure if I want to know how you know that," Mystia said with a frown as Dorian chuckled.

"Probably best not to ask," Dorian replied as Mystia gave a small huffed out a laugh. "But I do wonder, my dear Mystia, you did mention you haven't taken Lyrium in a while, how are you handling it so well?"

Mystia sighed now. She had heard Cullen stop and knew he was listening, so she decided to give up her little secret. "Keep it to yourself if I say?" She asked Dorian while pretending she didn't know Cullen was listening.

"On my grave," Dorian nodded in an oath to keep his word.

"I'm not handling it well at all. In fact, I'm barely managing to hang on to my own sanity, but I will admit that I am a stubborn ass and refuse to break to it."

"Stubborn ass part is certainly true," Dorian said as he laughed at the face Mystia next made, which Cullen could only assume was something akin to pure unamusement. "So why did you leave the Templar Order?" Dorian asked as Mystia huffed out.

"First off, Cullen I know you're there so might as well come in," Mystia said with a slight smile as Cullen realized what she said. He walked in as Dorian looked at him both wondering how Mystia had known he was there, but then Mystia stood up, "As for your question Dorian, I left because I saw what the Order was becoming, that and my eldest brother was my Knight-Commander and he and I had gotten into a heavy argument about some mages that I was defending from him. My father was influential enough to keep me supplied with lyrium from the Chantry but when I was asked to go to the Conclave on my brother's behalf, by my own brother no less, I figured he saw it as a way to be rid of me. I am sure he's heard about the Conclave by now and I'm also sure that word has reached him that I am still alive."

"Sounds like your brother is not as fond of you anymore as he used to be," Dorian commented as Mystia sighed, turning away from them to begin placing on her armor.

"Don't get me wrong, we still love each other as siblings, but being the only female out of four siblings. He wasn't exactly thrilled when I became the favored sibling by our father," Mystia struggled a bit with the straps on the breastplate and Cullen was instantly over by her and helping her. He saw that she wanted to argue about his helping her but then she decided against it; she was stubborn but would yield to him as she was still favoring her shoulder a touch.

"Which brings me to want to ask about why you joined," Cullen said as he helped her.

"For my two younger brothers. They are twins and both are mages," Mystia told him as Dorian and Cullen looked at her in surprise. "My eldest brother and I decided to join the Order so we could keep our family together."

"So all of your siblings are alive?" Dorian asked in wonder as Mystia nodded.

"That I am aware of," Mystia sighed once Cullen was done with the straps.

"Then who was that Jakob person?" Cullen asked remembering back to the day Mystia had fought the man turned werewolf.

"Jakob," She started as she looked into Cullen's eyes, " _was_ the son of a noble who was just a bit too big for his breeches. He was at one time my friend, and from what I understand, he had a rather disturbing desire for me." Mystia then turned to snatch up her gauntlets and began to put them on. "I can say that I turned down his countless attempts at getting me into bed with him and several proposals for marriage from him. The day I officially joined the Order, was probably the day that he began to feel slighted as he knew the rules of the Order since his own sister was a Templar," Mystia finished putting on her gauntlets, and let her hands drop to her sides as she closed her eyes. "For _months_ after, My eldest brother made sure to burn any letters coming to me from him as we had both agreed that Jakob was not right in the mind." Mystia sighed heavily with a shake of her head. "What Jakob had become that day in front of all of us proved both my thoughts and my brothers' thoughts correct." Mystia looked to her left hand as the tingling sensation of power began to tickle her nerves in her hand and arm. She curled her hand into a fist and closed her eyes once more. "As for the Lyrium in truth, I stopped taking it the day before the Conclave, but that is a matter for another time," Mystia told them both as she looked towards her dented shield and her sheathed broken sword, the sword that her eldest brother had given her as a rather late birthday present last year.  _He is going to be pissed when he finds out that the sword was so easily broken._  Mystia thought to herself as she tried to think of a way to tell her brother what had happened. Though Mystia and her elder brother had their differences, both major and minor, he was still family and she would treat him as such. "Right now, we need to get our people to Skyhold," She turned to Cullen who nodded.

"I will get everyone ready to move out," He said as he agreed with her on getting everyone to Skyhold.

*****

Mystia stood with Cassandra and Leliana on the stairs to the main hall, Mystia was now informed of how _she_ was to be the _Inquisitor_ and it frightened her a little. In Leliana's hands rested a sword that was unlike any Mystia had seen before, though as she lifted it she noted how heavy it was and decided that it would be used more for decoration (or beheadings as the blade would likely go through a neck cleaner than a normal blade) then battle. She studied the blade for a moment then turned her head to look at the people of the Inquisition as she made her decision. "I will defeat Corypheus standing with them. Not over them. I will stand beside them in the battles that will come and I will see to it that each person comes home, be they Mages, Inquisition or civilians. They will come home." She claimed as Cassandra smiled as she walked up to Mystia's side while the younger woman followed her gaze towards Josephine.

"Have our people been told?" Cassandra asked as Josephine nodded.

"They have. And soon the world." Josephine smiled as Cassandra turned her gaze towards Cullen.

"Commander, will they follow?" Cassandra asked Cullen as he turned to the people behind him.

"Inquisition! Will you follow?" he asked as cheers went up. "Will you fight?" he asked as more cheering happened. "Will we triumph?" He continued to question as the cheers continued as well. Then Cullen did something Mystia was not expecting, and drawing his sword he raised it high in salute to Mystia as he finished his words. "Your leader! Your Herald! Your  _Inquisitor_!" He watched with silent pride as Mystia raised the blade high while Cassandra smiled with Leliana doing the same. Cullen nodded towards Mystia, though she was paying him no mind as her gaze swept over her people, but then his gaze turned away as he saw a familiar person standing off to the side next to Varric as the dwarf talked to the person. Cullen knew who the person was and as much as he didn't want Mystia to meet the man next to Varric, he knew it was likely to happen. Later on in the day, around noon, Cullen found himself looking over the blueprints of Skyhold with reports, scrolls and a few other things on a truly makeshift desk, and heard motion behind him and turned to see Mystia walking up. He could tell that she was making her rounds, checking up on the work and on the people who she now saw as hers, as _HER_ pack in the wolven mindset and somewhere in the back of his mind he knew she counted him among them. "We set up as best as we could at Haven, but could never prepare for an Archdemon-or whatever that it was..." he started as she came to a stop. "With some warning, we might have..." He rubbed the back of his neck which was starting to hurt from looking down at the papers on the thing that passed for a temporary desk.

"Do you ever sleep?" She asked with the hint of worry. Her hair was loose so the curls could cascade down to her shoulders as if they were some kind of stilled waterfall made of ebony, and Cullen found himself having to look away to keep from touching her. he could not have known that it was also taking every part of her willpower to keep herself from reaching out to him.

"If Corypheus strikes again, we may not be able to withdraw... And I wouldn't want to. We must be ready." He placed his hands on the table, to keep her from noticing the twitch he had at being in such close proximity to her. "Work on Skyhold is underway," He informed her as he turned his head to face her. He caught the nod she gave and continued speaking, "Guard rotations established. We should have everything on course within the week." He soon turned to look at her. "We will not run from here, Inquisitor." He watched her as she set her jaw at hearing the title, and figured it would take her some time for her to get used to the title being used when speaking about her.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Mystia gathered her thoughts. "How many were lost?" She asked even though Cullen knew it would hit her hard even if not many had been lost.

"Most of our people made it to Skyhold. It could have been worse," He said almost feeling the sudden change in her body language. "Morale was low, but has improved greatly since you accepted the role of Inquisitor," he told her as she closed her eyes again.

"Inquisitor Trevelyan," She said as he looked towards her again. "It sounds odd. Don't you think?" She asked him.

"Not at all," he responded, he could read it very well in her body language, it would take _a lot_ of time before she could come to fully accept it.

"Is that the official response?" She asked as he laughed slightly to help ease the mood.

"I suppose it is. But it's the truth," he stood straight and placed his hands on his sword. "We needed a leader. You have more than proven yourself," He said as she sighed.

"Thank you, Cullen," She said not knowing that hearing his name coming from her sent a tiny thrill through his body. He gave her a tiny smile, but soon she spoke again and she could barely, _barely_ , contain herself. "Our escape from Haven... It was close. I am truly relieved that you-" She caught herself then and reined herself in, _quickly_. "-That so many made it out," She told him, hoping that he didn't catch it but he had.

"As am I," He agreed as he looked away remembering what had transpired during the escape. She turned to begin leaving and he spoke quickly, "You stayed behind. You could have-" He had to rein himself in now, but he did reach out a gloved hand to take her wrist in his hand to have her stop, and she looked at him. "I will not allow the events at Haven to happen again. You have my word," he promised her as she nodded before walking away. He watched as Mystia was taken by surprise as the odd elf named Sera jumped out from somewhere and he smiled as he returned to work. He heard Mystia say something as the elf started laughing like a maniac and heard her take off after said elf.

 _ **"SERA!"**_ Mystia's voice echoed back to him, and he couldn't help but give the slightest of chuckles. The elf did get on Mystia's nerves at times but was often more than not helpful when it came to calming Mystia down, and personally, Cullen would prefer to keep Mystia as calm as possible for the coming days.


	4. Three

By the time Mystia had finished making her rounds for the millionth time this week, she was a bit beyond dead tired. She was almost too tired to even bother with eating and had started towards her room when Josephine approached her. "Inquisitor, may I have a word in private?" she asked worriedly as Mystia turned to her.

"Of course," She threw her tiredness onto the back burner for the time being and followed Josephine to the ambassador's large yet somehow cozy office.

"A letter has been received that Leliana suggested that you see as soon as possible."

"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this."

"Probably because you won't," Cullen's voice sounded as Mystia and Josephine entered the room. It wasn't the war room, but to see Cullen there had Mystia frowning.

"It's a rather ah... _controversial_ letter from your...ah elder brother..." Josephine stated as she went to sit behind her desk and handed the letter over to Mystia, who took it to read it over.

Mystia sighed as she finished the letter. "No one ever said he was the brightest of my siblings," Mystia rubbed her face with her left hand. "I think that was reserved for myself and my younger brothers, but probably doesn't help I have declined to tell him many things that I'd frankly rather not have him know," She told them both.

Josephine studied Mystia, "Inquisitor-!"

"Josephine, please. When it's just us with Cullen and Leliana around:  _DON'T_  use that title. Same goes for you, Cullen," Mystia glanced over at her Military Advisor who nodded showing that he acknowledge her request. "I'm sure that Leliana will be harder to convince to not do it, but please don't do it when we are alone."

"As you wish, ah..." Josephine knew that Mystia was a noble but Mystia smiled gently then.

"Just Mystia," Mystia told her as she nodded.

"Very well Mystia. Should I send a letter back to him?" Josephine asked as Mystia shook her head. 

"He won't receive it. I know my older brother well enough to know that he's already on his way here," Mystia sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "Yay for older siblings who can be complete dumbasses at times," She almost groaned. "Maker preserve me so I  _DON'T_  kill said dumbass," Mystia shook her head again. "Just be prepared for a lot of shouting. He and I are still not on good terms at this time." Mystia shook her head. "Guess I better go write to my father. He will want to know." With that Mystia left the room with Cullen following. He was worried about her and knowing what he did about her relationship with her brother, he figured something bad **_would_** happen if what she was saying was true.

"If you're thinking what I believe you are then yes, something bad is likely to happen." Mystia frowned as she stopped in the main hall, she glanced out the doors leading outside and as much as she wanted to go find Bull and his chargers and join them for a few rounds, she would kick herself if she didn't write to her father, who was in Orlais by now for the coming summer.  _He's probably going to expect me to try to visit as well as spend some time with him._  Mystia turned to begin walking towards her room but felt Cullen grab ahold of her arm. Stopping she looked at him as he studied her.

"Are you alright?" he asked as she placed a hand on his briefly.

"I will be fine. It's nothing I can't handle," She told him as he released her, but as he watched her walk away he frowned. Surely the Lyrium withdrawals were not as easy on her as she was making them out to be, but he knew that she would power through them as the days went on. She was stubborn and so he went to seek out Cassandra to discuss this matter on Mystia's behalf. As he and Cassandra spoke, they looked up to where Mystia's room was and saw her standing on her balcony, there was much on her mind but she would not let it rest on anyone else's shoulders.

"I will see to her soon. How are you holding up?" Cassandra asked Cullen as he frowned.

"I am fine. But I am greatly worried about Mystia," he told her as Cassandra frowned

"She's allowing you to use her first name?"

"It seems so," Cullen replied as they were quick to part ways with Cassandra heading towards Mystia's room. The talk would be well appreciated as Mystia had been meaning to tell Cassandra about her condition and Mystia made a mental note to eventually thank Cullen when she would see him next.

****

Opening her eyes, Mystia wondered why she had been awoken from the unexpected slumber she seemed to have fallen into and so automatically looked to her hand where the Anchor was nestled. Mystia began to wonder why she had been the only one to survive the conclave. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip; for the last few days, she had been unable to properly sleep because of her thoughts, Lyrium withdrawals and because she was now once more being plagued by the same nightmare that she had been haunted by for months before the Conclave had taken place. Sitting up Mystia looked over towards her balcony, thankful now that she began to leave the doors open at night and standing she walked outside to look out over Skyhold. She did not realize that Cullen was sort of having the same thought, but as he walked around the battlements his gaze turned skyward and he saw her standing on her balcony by herself as she was lost in thought but in truth it was not thought she was lost in as she was actually lost in a memory of her childhood.

_A six-year-old Mystia giggled as she raced up to her mother. "Mommy! Look what I made!" Mystia giggled as her mother smiled while her father walked up with Mystia's brother right beside him._

_"It's very beautiful, sweety." Her mother smiled as she studied the drawing. "Is it a family of templars?" her mother asked as her husband smiled._

_"It's our family!" Mystia smiled as her brother came up to see the picture._

_"Our whole family as Templars? That would be awesome!" Her brother smiled as their father laughed._

_"The Trevelyan family legacy, a family made up of Templars." He joked as his wife shook her head, then Mystia yawned and they knew what time it was. "Come on my little warrior, time for bed."_

_"But I wanna hear a song..." Mystia frowned as her father scooped her up into his arms._

_"Mystia?"_

_"Yes, mama?" Mystia asked as her mother smiled gently._

_"Let your father carry you to bed and I will come to sing you and your brother a song."_

_"OKAY!" Both children agreed as they went straight to their shared room and were tucked in as their mother came into the room to sing them to sleep. As her voice carried around the room, both children found themselves falling asleep and their parents kissed their foreheads as they drifted off for the night._

Mystia opened her eyes and turned to walk back to her room, but she couldn't get back to sleep and so decided to go for a moonlight walk. As she entered the main hall she saw that it was empty and was thankful for that as she really wasn't in the mood to speak to anyone at this time. Walking out of the main hall, she stopped to look out over the grounds but just before she could continue on, Cullen's voice came to her. "Mystia?" he asked as she looked towards him.

"Cullen?" She asked surprised to see him out and about at this time, still dressed in his usual outfit.

"I was just going for a walk when I saw you. Are you alright?" he asked coming up next to her as she sighed heavily.

"To be honest? I'm not," She said as they began to walk. "So much has been happening in such a short span of time, that I can't say what is wrong with me," She admitted as he turned his gaze to her.

"Nothing is wrong with you," He told her as she looked at him. "There is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. It's understandable that you are stressed," he said as she looked away. "Since you woke up with the mark on your hand, you haven't been allowed a moment's respite," he said as she silently agreed.

"And at this moment in time, I can't afford it either." She said more to herself than to him. "As much as part of me wishes. I don't think I will be allowed respite anytime soon." Cullen frowned again.

"Maybe not at this time but you will soon enough." he tried to tell her as they came to a stop. They did not realize that they had walked almost all around Skyhold but when they did realize where they were Mystia seemed almost surprised as she looked at the door to her room. "You should get some sleep," Cullen told her as he turned to walk away.

"Cullen, I am probably the only woman, a Templar at that, in this world who holds the record for not sleeping for at least a week straight, " Mystia said as he looked towards her. "I know my limits," She smiled at him before she went back up to her room as he began to wonder about her all over again. He chuckled slightly and made his way back to his office, where he began to entertain thoughts of what it would be like to be with her in a relationship, but what he wasn't expecting was for Mystia to approach him the next day, around noon, while he was in his office. "Cullen?" She asked as he turned to look at her.

"Was there something you needed?" he asked slightly surprised that she would be coming to seek him out as normally it was the reverse of where he was seeking her out.

"I was hoping we could talk, alone?"

"Alone?" he wondered slightly why she was asking him that but he agreed to it. "Of course." He led her outside and they walked side by side for a bit, or at least until he worked up his courage to speak. "It's a nice day." He mentally kicked himself for that as she turned to him confused.

"What?"

"It's..." he was quick to catch himself. "There was something you wished to discuss." he tried to change the subject and felt a bit of relief when she was quick to do so, saving him from embarrassing himself for the moment.

"Cullen, I've come to care deeply about you, and I..." Mystia knew she was just shitty when it came to discussing her feelings for others, and it was making itself apparent now as she was struggling with trying to get her growing feelings for the man out now.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly as she sighed.

"You mean besides the fact that I suck at discussing my feelings for someone I have come to adore? I'm just wondering, we were both Templars at one time but could you think of me beyond that?"

It was that moment he realized why she had sought him out. She had come to begin loving him and now his feelings decided to be made known as well. "I could. I mean, I do...Think of you. And what I might say in this sort of situation."

he began to walk away and she was quick to follow. "What's stopping you?" She asked worriedly, afraid that her feelings would not be reciprocated.

"You're the Inquisitor. We're at war. And you...I didn't think it was possible." He admitted to her.

"And yet, I'm still here." She smiled at him as he returned it as he walked closer to her, almost pinning her up against the stone rampart behind her.

"So you are... It seems too much to ask. But I want to." He admitted as they leaned close enough to each other to kiss, but they were interrupted and Mystia was full on _embarrassed_  while Cullen turned away to frighten off the person. She knew that one day she would be able to laugh about it, but for now, she felt her cheeks turn hot with her embarrassment.

Once the man was gone, Mystia managed to find her voice. "If you need to-!" but she didn't get to finish her sentence as Cullen was quick to turn around and sealed her lips with his. It took a moment before her mind caught up, but she was already returning his kiss by that point in time. He was quick to apologize and she couldn't help but egg him on, to which he could only smirk and kiss her again. Before they parted ways for the day, she did have to ask him something. "You do realize that everyone's going to be talking right?" She asked as he sighed.

"You'd be surprised at how quickly gossip spread in the barracks. But if there wasn't anything for them to talk about I would feel worse." He admitted brushing a stray lock of her hair out of her face, it was something he had been yearning to do for months and to be able to finally do it filled him with silent joy. A joy that was short lived as a scout came running up with the news that Mystia didn't seem eager to hear. "Seems your bother is early?"

"Too early." She nodded as they walked to go meet her Elder brother, who was beyond the words of livid, especially the moment he saw her approaching, but the moment he went to rail in on her she stopped him sort. "Let's take this somewhere else," She said looking to Josephine who seemed grateful and they all went to the war room, where her brother could openly rail on her.

"You said you were apart of this. But I don't see anything keeping you here!" he said as Mystia looked at him. "It's time you came back to the Order." He tried commanding her as she felt herself bristle. Cullen could feel the tension thickening and began to tense up, "Don't even think about it _Knight-Captain_." Her older brother snarled at Cullen who now began to bristle.

"You might not because your blind, but let me show you why I can't," Mystia growled as she began to undo her left gauntlet.

"Can't or won't?" her brother growled low as Mystia all but ripped her gauntlet off and lifted her hand up with the palm facing him as his eyes went wide.

"Both," Mystia told him point blank. "I can't because I  _AM_  the  _Inquisitor_. I  _am_ the Herald of Andraste and I  _WON'T_  because I've seen what has become of the Order. When I joined the Order, I thought I was helping the Mages, but after the things  _YOU_  did, after witnessing what _I did_ and the  _PAIN_ I **_caused_**. I refuse to go back to that life." Mystia said lowering her hand, "And you have no rights to speak to the Commander of the Inquisition's forces, to the man I am in a relationship with like you just have,  _Oliver_." Mystia told her older brother while saying his name for the first time since anyone could remember.

"And who do you think you are telling me what I can or cannot do?" Oliver demanded from her as she looked at him while pointing towards the Trevelyan family coat of arms.

"A horse of a different colored coat," Was all she replied as she kept her gaze on her brother. "And I will warn you only once. I don't need the Inquisition to help me deal with you, I am still capable of hitting you where it hurts,  _brother_ , and I am not afraid to do so, so don't push your luck."

"Is that a challenge?" Oliver asked her, finally sounding a touch hurt by her words.

"It's a promise." She told him as she put her gauntlet back on. "You shouldn't have come, there is nothing for you here." She told him turning away to look at the map on the war table while trying (rather successfully) to hold back her sudden need to cry. She placed her hands on the edge of the table and closed her eyes as she felt her brother's gaze was still upon her, but the sound of his armor moving told her he was moving away.

"Your right. I shouldn't have come but now I see why. Your not my sister anymore." He spoke as she clenched her jaws. "Father will be waiting for you in Orlais, but don't expect to see me again." With that, he walked out of the doors and Cullen turned to see that Mystia was visibly shaking with rage and hurt. She was trying to rein in her sudden outburst of emotions but found that it was getting harder and harder to do while playing tug of war with the Anchor, and with her withdrawals from Lyrium, she was amazed that she was in control of herself at all.

"Mystia?" Cullen asked as he watched her carefully.

"I'll be fine." She said as she stood straight, "I'm... I will see all of you later," She told the three who remained in the war room as she turned and left. As soon as Mystia was out of the war room, she felt a wave of dizziness sweep over her but managed to get through the door that hid the stairway to her room before her legs gave out on her. She barely caught herself on the railing going up the stairs as her legs slipped out from under her; her vision started to have spots of inky blackness appear and she knew she wouldn't make it very far up the stairs, then the spots grew and soon she felt herself collapsing onto her side as two voices called out to her.

_**"BOSS!"** _

_**"Mystia!"** _


	5. Four

Dorian and Bull walked into the area that led to Mystia's rooms, just in time to see her collapse and both called out to her. _**"BOSS!"**_ Bull called out rushing over to her with Dorian hot on his heels.

_**"Mystia!"**_ Dorian skidded to a halt and was quick to rest his hand on her forehead. " _Shit!_ Bull take her to her room, quickly! I will go find Solas!" Dorian stood up and raced out of the door and almost ran into Cullen who was just leaving the war room. "Sorry!" Dorian apologized quickly as Cullen watched him. "I need to find Solas so I can't talk right now."

"What's going on?"

"Mystia!" Dorian called back racing out of the main hall as his words struck Cullen hard. Cullen's eyes went wide as her name registered in his mind at the same time Leliana and Josephine came out to see what the sudden commotion was. Cullen said nothing as he turned and took off in the direction of Mystia's room. He took the stairs two at a time and soon found himself opening another door and was flying up those stairs in time to see Bull setting Mystia down on her bed.

Bull looked to Cullen as he pulled away and frowned, "We need to talk," He said waving to the balcony as Cullen nodded, but not before he glanced towards Mystia who was now sweating. Cullen followed Bull and their conversation began. "Is the Boss not taking Lyrium?" Bull asked as Cullen nodded.

"She stopped taking it a day before the Conclave."

"I knew she was a Templar, she told me so, but you need to have a serious discussion with her about it," Bull told him as he frowned.

"I don't know why you think it will help. She seems pretty adamant about not taking it anymore." Cullen told Bull who shook his horned head.

"Cullen, your the only one she will listen to." Bull sighed. "She is playing a major game of tug-of-war with that damned mark. She doesn't need to be having withdrawals affecting her ability to fight with and keep that thing under control. Talk to her." Bull said as Solas and Dorian appeared to tend to Mystia. "I have personal contacts outside of the Qun that will keep her supplied with Lyrium until both of you are sure she is ready to give it up completely. I will go send them a message now to bring some here as soon as they are able." With that, Bull left Cullen standing alone on the balcony as he looked in to watch Solas tending to Mystia. Cullen did not want to lose Mystia to the Lyrium, but her path had been set when she had originally joined the Order. Turning his gaze to Mystia's face, Cullen inwardly felt stupid and knew he would get into an argument with her if he suggested the idea, but as he stood there he silently prayed to the Maker and all but begged for Mystia to at least listen to him. Cullen walked back into the room as Solas left and pulled up a chair next to Mystia's bed to take a vigil over her sleeping form since Dorian was sitting on the bed.

"Did you know that she's my cousin?" Dorian asked as Cullen looked up at him.

"She never mentioned it," Cullen responded turning his gaze back to Mystia's face.

"Really? I don't blame her then." Dorian said lightly, but with Mystia being down and out for the count it was hard to keep that mood. "We are several times removed but are still cousins. We met once before all of this took place, but both of us were so young that it took time for her to remember me when she saw me at Redcliffe. She was headstrong even back when we were children. So much so that even I knew back then that she would make a grand old time of being a Templar, what with being third born and all."

"Third?" Cullen asked as Dorian nodded sadly.

"Oliver was first, and between him and Mystia there was another child, but she died. Her younger brothers, the twins, were born six years into Mystia's life." Dorian closed his eyes, why he was telling Cullen all this was beyond him but the man needed to know. "Oliver was supposed to be the heir of the Trevelyan family name, while Mystia was either to join the Chantry as a Sister or be paraded around the marriage market when she came of age, but certain events made her join up with the Order. Oliver followed her not wanting to leave her to be by herself, and it cut him off from being the Heir. Now that Mystia is no longer in the Order, it is very likely her father will try to convince her to become the sole heiress to his lands, though I somehow doubt she will take it."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

Dorian looked to Cullen, "I want you to know what you are getting yourself into. Mystia's life has been a living Nightmare since she stepped out of the Fade at the ruins of the Conclave. When I saw how you were trying everything to get her to relax while around you, I could tell that you are to be the much-needed relief that she more then needs now. That and I could see that you have feelings for her," Dorian told the man who watched him with curiosity.

"It was that obvious?" Cullen frowned as Dorian smiled. "If it's any consolidation, we have started a relationship," Cullen said leaning forward to brush some straying damp locks of hair from Mystia's sweaty head.

"Now I pray you know what you are doing." Dorian watched how tenderly Cullen touched Mystia and his smile was reflected in his eyes. "She's a good woman, but she is also torn."

"Torn?" Cullen couldn't tear his eyes away from Mystia as she let out a gentle sigh at his touch.

"She's had many difficulties in her past. But those are stories she will have to tell you when the time is right," Dorian stood up then. "For now, take care of her. She needs you now and will need you more so in the future as well," Turning, Dorian left Mystia and Cullen as the sun began to set.

Cullen remained sitting until he was practically forced to get up and light the chandelier and the fireplace for both light and warmth. When he went to shut the doors to the balcony, he started to hear her whimpering and stopped dead in his tracks to go right back to her side as she started tossing around in her sleep. But it was her voice that had him kneeling on the floor and gripping her hands into his as she broke out into another sweat. Her voice was pleading with someone to help her and as he listened to her, he realized that her mind had taken her right back to the Fade, _to the day the Conclave had been destroyed_. He wondered what was frightening her so then she said his name and it hit him that her nightmare was involving him in some way. "Mystia!" he said trying to wake her. **_"Mystia! Wake up!"_** His voice echoed into her nightmare and soon she sat bolt upright with a heavy gasp for air. Cullen was quickly upon her bed and pulled her into his arms, where she was quick to bury her face into the "mane" around his shoulders. "It's was just a dream," he whispered to her, "You're safe." He was trying to console her, which didn't seem to be working too well as she wrapped her arms around him and started to cry but in response, he held her close and refused to move for several more moments, opting to let her cry silently into his shoulder.

****

Mystia sat frowning as she looked at her desk, where a particular box sat. Bull, Dorian, and Cassandra had been pestering her non-stop since the sun had risen to return to taking Lyrium but she had shrugged off their requests and had come up to her room to write responses to letters from Nobles that Mystia really didn't care for, but that wasn't working the way she had hoped as now she sat staring at the box her father had made sure to send it with Dorian who had given it to her now that they were in a place that was secure. She was so deeply lost in her thoughts that she did not hear Cullen come walking in, even as he addressed her. "Inquisitor, I was hoping to speak to you about the..." When he looked up from the paperwork in his hands, he saw that she was completely lost in her thoughts and frowned. Looking around quickly, he approached her and touched her shoulder which in turn startled her from her thoughts. "Mystia?"

_"Maker's balls!"_ She yelped as she jumped out of her chair. When she turned around she saw Cullen standing there with surprise in his eyes at her sudden movement and inhaled a deep breath with her eyes closing.

"I am so sorry!" Cullen quickly apologized as she shook her head.

"Don't be," She sighed out as he took note of what sat on the desk. "I should have been paying better attention to my surroundings." Cullen knew what the box was and wondered where she had gotten hers from as she hadn't had it at Haven that he had known of. She saw him cast a glance at her desk and turned to face the balcony. "My father gave it to Dorian who gave it to me at breakfast." She told him as his gaze returned to her. "I haven't touched it since I set it on my desk." She told him as he remembered the conversation he and Bull had had the night before.

"Mystia?"

"Hmn?" Mystia turned her head to look at him and he frowned. 

"Have you been thinking about taking it again?" He asked as she looked away.

"I can't say that hasn't crossed my mind several times in the past few moments, but I..." She sighed heavily at that moment. "I honestly don't know what to do." She told him walking away to stand at the doors leading out towards the balcony. "After yesterday, part of me wants to take it back up, but..." She shook her head as she heard him set something down and come over to hold her in his arms. What he was about to say next would probably cause an argument between them, but to prevent that situation from rising he chose his words wisely.

"How about this: if you promise to start taking Lyrium again, I will tell you something later on in the day after we've had our usual meeting in the war room," He offered to her as she pursed her lips. He could sense how badly she wanted to argue with him but a huff escaped her and she pulled away from him to look into his amber eyes.

"Alright," She told him as he looked slightly surprised. "So long as you keep your word about telling me what you have to after the meeting I will start taking the Lyrium again."

"I will," He told her as he followed over to her desk, though he did not like the idea of her taking what she wanted to give up so bad, he would rather keep her alive and able to fight the Anchor then lose herself to both it and withdrawals. He retrieved his paperwork, remained to watch over her as she followed through with her word and watched as she began the steps to take the lyrium. Once it was all said and done, Mystia closed her eyes as the sweet yet potentially deadly kiss of the lyrium sang throughout her body once more. As good as it felt to relieve herself of the symptoms of withdrawal, it would take her a bit for her body to fully adjust to having this choice of poison in her veins again. When it was settled in her body fully, she opened her eyes and heard Cullen moving to her side. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly as she nodded.

"Yes. It will take me a bit to become readjusted to having lyrium in my body again," She told him as he nodded. He hated seeing her doing this, hated what he was basically forcing her to do but it was for her sanity and, for the moment, her health. To himself, he made a silent oath to help her through the withdrawals once this war was over should she decide on no longer taking it. But before he could say anything more, Bull came in to speak with Mystia and both she and Cullen looked at him while he stopped in his tracks.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" Bull asked as Mystia shook her head.

"What do you need Bull?" Mystia asked as he looked at Cullen.

"Was going to try talking you into taking that stuff again, but, from the way Cullen is looking at you, you've started taking it again?" Bull asked as Cullen's face fell into one of a mixture of pain and sorrow.

"I have," Mystia responded, "He...helped...to convince me to take it again," She said slightly defeated as Bull nodded.

"Well, this will make it better than," At those words, Mystia and Cullen gave Bull a shard look of confusion and he smiled. "I have a private contact who is going to be delivering a small shipment of lyrium here for your use, Boss. Seeing as how you are not really apart of the Chantry anymore you will someone to keep a supply line going and I don't think your father's influence will work this far out."

"If my father had his way it would," Mystia mumbled as Bull cracked a small smile.

"Don't worry boss, I have you covered. As I said, it's a private contact and he's outside of the Qun so it won't stop until this whole mess is done and over with, or until you feel ready to stop taking it again."

"Which will be after this whole mess is over with," Mystia said as Cullen looked over at her, keeping his silent oath in his mind.

"If I may, Inquisitor," Cullen interjected quickly, noting that as Bull went out, a scout came in to drop off more paperwork from Josephine (to which Mystia just looked at as if she was hoping it spontaneously combust and burst into flames on her desk) as she looked towards him. "I still need to speak to you about these," He handed her the papers, which had been temporarily forgotten, and she looked them over. Like Cullen, her mind worked on a military-like basis so it was easy for her to understand the writing he did when it came to troops and the like...but unlike him, her mind could not formulate a plan in a complete and utter mess unless one was already started by someone else. As her eyes scanned over the writing she frowned and shook her head.

"Sometimes I wonder why we even bother..." She groaned as she continued to look over the papers. "Do what you can when these recruits arrive, Commander." She said as she looked towards the scout who stood to wait for orders, she waved the man away and he saluted before leaving. "Maker, if this keeps up I swear it won't be lyrium or Corypheus that kills me, it will be the stupidity of the Orlesian nobles." Mystia sighed as Cullen smirked at that. He could agree with her on one point, Orlesian nobles were not always the brightest people around when it came to certain things. "This was one thing I was hoping that I would never have to deal with again after originally joining the Order but it seems that leaving the Order didn't help matters anyway." She then continued to mutter something under her breath about Orlesians and something to do with their damnable masks, when another scout came in with something else.

"Inquisitor?"

"Yes?" Mystia asked as she looked up from the papers.

"Sister Leliana has sent me to come find you to deliver a letter from your father."

"A letter from my father?" Mystia asked setting down the board which had the papers that she had been looking over; reaching out, she took the rolled up parchment from the scout and began reading the letter, paling the further into the letter she read. Then as she finished the letter she let out a string of words that Cullen had never heard anyone, let alone another Templar, put in a single sentence before and he wondered how often she had used it. "Son of a royal damned bitch in heat, fuck me sideways with a white-hot damned fucking poker."

"A rather colorful use of language," Cullen spoke out loud as she shook her head with jaws clenched tight.

"It will be more than those words being spoken soon. This will be fun to explain to Josephine," Mystia looked at her desk as she frowned. The majority of the papers on her desk were marriage proposals to which she was declining in the kindest way possible outside of throwing them on the hearth to burn them. Mystia grabbed up the board that held the paperwork from Cullen and felt him right on her heels as they headed to go find the Lady Ambassador. Cullen told her that he would catch up in a moment and she continued on into the Ambassador's office to speak with the woman.

But she didn't get half the chance as Josephine spoke up first, "Ah Inquisitor! I've been meaning to come find you! I have a question for you."

Mystia stopped before the desk with a brow raised. "I will answer to the best of my ability," She replied as Josephine smiled innocently.

"When is your birthday?"

Mystia's mind went blank at that moment as her mouth opened slightly, and she could feel the eyes of all her advisors upon her now. When she recovered she frowned, "Why does it matter? It's not like I celebrate it."

"I am just curious." Josephine tried to play innocent but Mystia was highly unamused.

"Ugh!" Mystia pinched the bridge of her nose then. "If you absolutely must know it's the thirtieth of Bloomingtide." Mystia saw no point in this but she was quick to dismiss it. "Happy?"

"Very much so." Josephine almost purred as Mystia groaned.

"Anyways! Back to official business here Josephine." Mystia managed a quick glare at Cullen, whose mind was swiftly trying to figure out what he was to do for the upcoming day. He held up his hands in defeat and she turned back to Josephine. "What is the situation with saving Empress Celene?"

Josephine instantly set into the proper mindset and answered the question quickly, "I've made some inquiries into the Imperial Court. The sooner we deal with the threat to the Empress, the better." She started as Mystia nodded for her to continue. "The political situation in the Empire is dangerously unstable. It will complicate matters."

_You don't say..._  Mystia thought to herself as Cullen came walking down from where he was standing.

"Everything in the Empire complicates matters." Cullen frowned heavily as he came to a stop near Josephine's desk. "It's the Orlesian nation pastime," He looked towards Mystia who didn't seem very entertained.

Leliana came walking up then, "Turn your nose up at the Grand Game if you like, Commander, but we play for the highest stakes, and to the death."

"The court's disapproval can be as great a threat as the Venatori. We must be vigilant, to avert disaster." Josephine reminded all of them as Mystia turned back to the Ambassador.

"Don't worry, Josephine. We will protect the Empress, no matter what." Mystia reassured the woman sitting down.

"I pray you're right," Josephine told Mystia with a slight frown. As much as Josephine wanted to believe Mystia, she remained skeptical at best. "If your vision of the future comes to pass... The death of the Empress heralds the destruction of everything." Josephine worried at the hem of her shirt as Mystia noted the motion. "Orlais holds Tevinter at bay. All of Thedas could be lost if the Empire falls to Corypheus. Celene is holding peace talks under the auspices of a Grand Masquerade," At that Mystia gave a slight groan. "Every power in Orlais will be there. It's the perfect place for an assassin to hide."

"And here's were I present that my father will be there as well," Mystia told them as Leliana and Josephine looked at her with worry while Cullen's frown deepened.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Josephine inquired worriedly as Mystia frowned.

"My family lives for the danger it seems," Mystia informed them as she handed the letter from her father to Josephine. "As the Bann of Ostwick in the Free Marches, it is my father's duty, at least he believes it to be, to show up at the Masquerade, despite being a Free Marcher," Mystia felt Cullen watching her, "And seeing as how all of his children chose to serve the Chantry or, in the case of my younger brothers who were born as twins **_AND_** mages, he is the only one left in the Trevelyan family name able to attend the Masquerade as all of my brothers will remain at the Circle in Ostwick and with me being a former Templar I can't go in his name as that was one thing I willingly gave up when I originally joined the Order, I gave up the possibility to be his heir," Mystia informed them as Josephine read the letter. 'And beings that I am the Inquisitor, that only reinforces the fact that I cannot go as his heir..ess." She had to remember to add that last part.

"Unfortunately, we don't have enough sway with the court to arrange an invitation. Perhaps with a few more alliances..."

Cullen cut in then, "Or soldiers."

Josephine shot him a highly unamused look, "We need a greater presence in Orlais, and soon," Josephine said as Mystia began thinking of what she could do while Cullen looked to Mystia who nodded in understanding at what he wanted. He had made a promise and he would keep it.

"I will do what I can Josephine, If it requires both Alliances and soldiers, then Fade be damned I will get those two things."

"I have a feeling you would do both anyway," Josephine replied as Mystia turned to leave. She could hear Josephine questioning about what to have Cullen wear to the Masquerade and smiled as she answered.

"A tailored coat. When Templars were to go to big events without armor, we would often wear tailored coats but don't make it too fancy, and make it black and silver," Mystia said walking away as Josephine wondered at what colors to make the outfits. Once Mystia was outside of that room, she turned in the direction of Cullen's office and frowned. Walking towards the door that led into his office, she noted that he was leaning over his own box that was a signature thing for all Templars and frowned. "Cullen?" She asked as he stood up. 

"I know I should have told you this much sooner, and I apologize that I didn't, but there is something you must know," He started as she watched him carefully.

"Whatever you need to say, I am willing to listen." She told him as he seemed a touch surprised.

"Right. Thank you." He said remembering who he was speaking to. A woman who would take the burdens of others while also tackling her own in silence, a woman who was now his lover and was now retaking the thing he had helped convince her to do this morning. "As you already know we have secured a reliable supply of Lyrium for the Templars here, but I..." He really didn't want to tell her what he was next but he had promised and so managed to say it. "...I no longer take it." Mystia was silent for a few moments and he figured that it was the end of their relationship but when she spoke he was surprised.

"As much as I am upset at you having me take it again, I respect your decision," Mystia told him as he looked up at her with shock written on his face. "Don't think for a moment that I will be able to forget this as I am upset at how you basically tricked me into taking Lyrium again, but I care more for you then I have for anyone else in my entire lifetime." She informed him as he nodded. Yes, in a sense he had tricked her, but she could only shake her head. "I will forgive you, but I won't forget." She pointed out as she began approaching him, she walked around his desk to kiss his cheek, but he had another plan as he turned his head just enough to seal her lips with his. Yes, he could sense the lyrium in her body and the thought of how badly his body wanted lyrium made him want more, but he had been waiting to kiss her again since the night before.

"I'll keep that in mind." He whispered as she smiled at him. "Will it be too much to ask to see you on the battlements later?" He questioned as she shook her head.

"I will be waiting." She told him kissing him again, which sent something akin to electricity running through his body and he knew it would be almost impossible to wait until later to have that feeling running through him again.


	6. Five

Mystia was the least entertained, probably more so then Cullen who was watching her worriedly. He could tell that she felt the suppressed magic in the air, he felt it too, but she would be on her best behavior and was now waiting for the man who was announcing the names of the most important people there to announce her name. Stepping down the stairs as the man named Duke Gaspard walked towards Celene, the man announced Mystia's status and name. "...and accompanying him: Lady Inquisitor Mystia Stella Trevelyan, Former Knight-Captain of Ostwick, daughter of Bann Trevelyan of Ostwick." Mystia felt Cullen's eyes on her and could sense his surprise at her former rank in the Order. Mystia bowed to Empress Celene and the Empress returned it. "Vanquisher of the rebel mages of Ferelden, crusher of the vile Apostates of the Mage Underground, Herald of Andraste herself!" Mystia heard several words between Varric and Dorian and was thankful she had brought them along. She walked towards Celene as the man continued on introducing everyone who had come with her but paid special attention to Cullen's introduction. "Ser Cullen Stanton Rutherford of Honnleath, Commander of the forces of the Inquisition, former Knight-Commander of Kirkwall." As she reached the end, she waited until all introductions were made before the Empress addressed her.

"Lady Inquisitor, we welcome you to the Winter Palace." Celene smiled warmly, "Allow us to present our cousin, the Grand Duchess of Lydes, without whom this gathering would have never been possible." The Duchess bowed and Mystia returned it.

"What an unexpected pleasure. I was not aware the Inquisition would be part of our festivities," The Duchess said sounding most surprised, but Mystia was no fool. She could tell that the Duchess was not happy about the Inquisition being there. "We will certainly speak later, Inquisitor." The Duchess left as Mystia turned her attention back to Celene.

"Your arrival at court is like a cool wind on a summer's day," Celene smiled again as Mystia watched her.

"I am delighted to be here, your majesty," Mystia told her in a very respectful tone.

"We have heard much of your exploits, Inquisitor. They have made grand tales for long evenings." Celene continued to smile and Mystia wondered how much more her face could stand. "How do you find Halamshiral?" Celene asked kindly as Mystia smiled now.

"I have no words to suffice. Halamshiral has many beauties, and I couldn't do them justice." Mystia was honest about that, though like all places Halamshiral had its bad, the parts that were beautiful could be done no justice with words.

"Your modesty does you credit," Celene knew Mystia's words to be true and this time the smile wasn't a plastered on one, it was a true smile. "and speaks well of the Inquisition. Feel free to enjoy the pleasures of the Ballroom, Inquisitor." With that Celene and Mystia bowed to each other again in a minor way. "We look forward to watching you dance." Celene managed a joke with that, everyone knew that Templars did not dance but Mystia had a card up her sleeve for that. Eventually, everyone was able to take their places and Mystia made her rounds, pausing to speak to Cullen quickly and barely caught the end of a conversation that had her trying very, very, hard to contain her laughter.

"Did you just touch my...bottom?"

"I'm a weak man." The Orlesian man said as Mystia asked Cullen a quick few questions before leaving again to speak with Leliana to see what her favorite spymaster was up to. She whispered to Leliana what had happened with Cullen and Leliana's eyes lit up as she too tried to contain her laughter.

"Well, this will certainly turn out to be an interesting night indeed, but just look at those shoes!" Leliana frowned changing the subject as Mystia frowned.

"Great...my spymaster is obsessed with shoes, remind me to never take you shoe shopping when I go looking for my next pair of boots to walk around Skyhold in," Mystia said as Leliana smiled sheepishly.

****

Mystia knew the sound of her father's voice like she knew the many Canticles of the Chant of Light, yet as she turned to face him as he called out to her, the sight she was met with damn near shocked her. It hadn't been too long since she had last seen him, yet as he walked up to her with a tired smile, she could tell that his age was starting to get to him. "Bann Trevelyan," She greeted him as was proper and he nodded towards her.

"Lady Inquisitor Treveylan," he returned as he finished walking up to her. Here before her was a man she knew to be so strong, a man she had admired and adored and had wanted to be like for most of her life (at least before a haunting part of her past had taken over) and now he looked _decades_ older. She studied him momentarily and frowned, but before she could speak he smiled tenderly and beat her to it. "I am aware you have Inquisition business you must attend but I just wanted to say, you've made both me and your mother, may the Maker accept her to his side, proud. I never would have thought to see you like you are now, nor would I have thought to see you in such a position," then he took her hands and held them between his own and said the words that Mystia never would have hoped to hear from him ever again, "I love you, my little warrior, and I am so proud of you."

"I..." She felt tears prick her eyes though she would not shed them right now, "I love you too, Father," She watched as he smiled once more before walking away and realized that she had finally heard from him what she had been yearning for her entire life and it shocked her as well as had her wondering if his words were sincere. 

"He is." A familiar voice spoke up as Cole appeared next to her. "He is proud of you. He loves you too." She glanced at the strange boy as he spoke her father's thoughts, " _I am so proud of her. She has grown up into the women she was meant to be. I am proud of my little warrior. If only her mother were here to see what our daughter has achieved."_

"Thank you, Cole..." Mystia trailed off as Cole vanished, leaving her to return to what she was needing to do, but not before she stopped by Josephine and made mention of sending the Bann an invitation to visit Skyhold so Mystia and he could spend some time, not as Inquisitor and visiting nobleman, but as daughter and father, which Josephine happily agreed to. 

****

"You will be the talk of the court for months!" Josephine walked up to Mystia as Cullen and Leliana joined her. "We should take you dancing more often!"

"I thought Templars didn't dance," Leliana stated looking between Cullen and Mystia, the latter who smiled.

"Let's just say that with My older brother being the only Knight-Commander of Ostwick with a good head on his shoulders in the history of that city, I entertained a few hobbies from my childhood in my spare time," Mystia admitted as Cullen seemed surprised, but he was able to change the subject.

"More importantly, what happened in the servants quarters? I heard there was fighting," Cullen crossed his arms, staring Mystia down as if she was a puppy in trouble for peeing on the carpet. 

"I hope you have good news, the peace talks are crumbling," Josephine added in as they all watched her.

"The Grand Duchess tried to convince me that Gaspard is the traitor. But I'm not buying it," Mystia explained as everyone thought it over. Leliana admitted that the Duchess was very likely to sell out her own family and Cullen uncrossed his arms.

"Then...the attack on the Empress  _will_  happen tonight," He said with worry as Josephine frowned.

"Warning Celene is pointless. She needs these talks to succeed, and to flee would admit defeat," Josephine informed them as Mystia crossed her arms now, deep in thought as Josephine spoke of the Royal Wing in the Palace, a part Mystia had _YET_ to go to. They spoke for a few more moments and Mystia decided something.

"Get me access to that wing," She addressed Josephine who nodded, then she turned to Cullen. "In the meantime get your soldier's into position." She instructed him as he nodded. "I came here to save the Empress, and I will be damned if I don't," When Mystia returned later from exploring for more clues, she went immediately to Cullen.

"The Empress is about to give her speech what should we do?" Cullen asked as Mystia's usual alpha demeanor returned.

"The Duchess is the assassin. Don't let her anywhere near the Empress."

"The Duchess?" Cullen was truly surprised now. "At once, Inquisitor." He nodded as Mystia began to walk towards the Empress. He could see just how much more like a wolf she was then her family symbol, and watching her stalk through the shadows proved it.

Then Mystia's voice rang true, **_"GRAND DUCHESS STAND DOWN!"_ **But it was at that moment that the duchess tried to strike, but it was due to Mystia's quick action and the soldiers being close that Celene was saved from a dagger to the gut, which ended up in an Inquisition soldier's gut. Then Mystia really lost it as more soldiers were cut down, and she began the hunt with her chosen companion's rushing to help her chase down the Duchess. _**"CULLEN! PROTECT THE PEOPLE!"**_ Mystia shouted as she followed the Duchess with Cullen acting quickly. He barely had time to answer her before Mystia leapt off the balcony. He knew that she was in full Alpha wolf mode now and that she was in the moment of the hunt as Bull, Varric and Dorian chased after her. He heard her sharp whistle and knew that Winter, her beloved Snowy Owl, was also joining in. Fang would have joined, but the wolf had passed away in Haven after the attack by the werewolf, though Cullen had noticed that since she had kept a single fang from the wolf, Mystia seemed more "in-tune" with the wolf's spirit now more than ever.

When Mystia returned safely to the Masquerade, Cullen noted that she had a slight limp that was almost undetectable unless the person watching her was well trained in combat. Another speech was given, but as the party resumed, Mystia mysteriously vanished or so it seemed until Leliana told him where his beloved was at. Walking towards the balcony where Mystia stood (and passing by someone he didn't exactly approve of) he noted that she was leaning with palms on the rail, and she was standing with her right leg adjusted to where she wasn't putting much weight on it. "There you are." He started as she looked in his direction. "Everyone's been looking for you. Things have calmed down for the moment." He was glad to inform her as she nodded in acknowledgment to his words, and that was what started his worry. "Are you alright?" He asked placing a hand on her shoulder as she briefly touched his hand with her left one, something she never did.

"It's been a very, very long night." She told him with her weariness sounding in her voice.

"For all of us," He frowned seeing how weary she really was, "I'm glad it's over," He noted that she barely responded and rubbed a small part of her back, "I know it's foolish, but I was worried for you tonight."

"It's not foolish." She told him in response as she put some pressure on her right foot. They heard cheering and suddenly Cullen had a wild hare up his ass.

"I may never have another chance like this, so I must ask." He smiled as she watched him back away from her in confusion. "May I have this dance, My Lady." he inquired as he bowed to her.

"Of all the Templars in the world, you are the last person I expected to dance."

"Normally I don't, but for you? I'll try." He smiled as they started dancing slowly.

****

When they arrived at Skyhold, a few long days later, Mystia was still worn out but would power through the remainder of the day and eventually she found herself with Cullen, Leliana, and Josephine in the war room (all of them in their normal outfits, which for Mystia too see Cullen back in his armor silently pleased her as she preferred him in that rather than the outfits they had all been forced to wear). "I have requests for information on your lineage from a few  _interested_  parties at the Winter Palace," Josephine smirked wickedly towards Cullen as Mystia studied the table but she looked up at the words and bristled.

"Andraste preserve me!" Cullen frowned heavily as Mystia watched Josephine with a careful gaze. "Feel free to use those requests as kindling!"

"No, I shall take them. I want to know who pines for our Commander. We can use this to our advantage," Leliana smiled wickedly towards Josephine as Mystia turned her attention towards her spymaster.

"I am not bait!" Cullen protested as Leliana reached for the papers.

"Hush. Just look pretty," Leliana teased him, but Mystia was not in the sharing mood and was swift to snatch the written requests as Cullen gave her a grateful look.

"Hate to ruin your fun, Leliana and Josephine. But the Commander is mine and mine alone, I don't share what I claim as mine. They will just have to have their poor little hearts broken," Mystia sighed.

"Then you will want these as well." Josephine was quick to hand over some requests with both proposals of marriage and the wanting of more information about Mystia's lineage.

"Yes, I will, because they are going to be promptly be thrown into the fire in my room," Mystia said as they discussed business and then went their separate ways, but Cullen followed Mystia up to her room, where a fire was already going in the Hearth and like she had said, the stack of papers was dropped into the fire and burned. She knew that soon she would need to bathe, the perfume that Josephine had insisted on her wearing was stuffing up her nose and she could honestly lay claim to saying that she absolutely despised the shit, but she soon found herself all but full on collapsing onto the couch near the hearth after ripping off her breastplate and removing the rawhide hair tie from her hair. "Maker's ass this week has been too damn long for my liking." Mystia sighed out while closing her eyes as Cullen sat next to her with a small chuckle.

"Remember, no rest for the wicked," Cullen smiled as she opened an eye to look at him. Cullen knew that look alone would have sent any normal man running but he wasn't just any "normal" man. He was the only force around who was keeping her going, he was her reason for returning to Skyhold every time she left, the reason she was fighting so damned hard to stay alive and end the threat that was Corypheus and the Red Templars. "Mystia?" Cullen asked quietly as she fully turned her attention to him, only to be taken by surprise as he planted a kiss on her lips. She was quick to return it, but soon, neither of them knowing when it happened, Mystia was soon straddling him and she could now feel how badly he wanted to take it further. His hands were on her hips and an uncharacteristic moan escaped him as their kissing deepened, but soon Mystia's senses returned to her and she pulled away, which she was grateful for as they were both out of breath and were panting heavily from the kiss. "Maker! I am so sorry Mystia. I didn't mean-!" but she stopped him short.

"Cullen, don't apologize. It's a natural thing, but I don't think either of us are truly ready to go that far yet." Mystia told him as he nodded in silent agreement as she stood up. She did, however, lean forward and kiss him gently on the scar on his upper lip and that sent a thrill through him. "I am more than sure that when the time is right, we will both be ready to take that step," She whispered as she pulled away, leaving him feeling a chill where her warmth had once been. She turned to stoke the fire and as she set the poker down, she felt his arms wrapping around her and settled into his embrace.

"I believe you," he told her as he nuzzled her neck, yes he could sense the Lyruim in her veins, he could almost feel it pulsing with each of her heartbeats as he kissed her neck (which added the bonus of earning him a small shiver from her) but she was respecting his decision to not take it, though he knew it was paining her greatly to know that she was. In the end, it only strengthened his resolve to not take it as he wanted to help her the same way when it was finally her turn to throw off the lyrium chains that bound her to the Order. Soon enough, he reluctantly left her so she could bathe and headed to his office, where the thoughts of Mystia and how right she felt in his arms buzzed in his mind like a nest of happy fat bumbling bees. The bees remained with him well into the midnight hours, and he soon climbed up the ladder to his room to attempt to get rest which he found that with thoughts of Mystia, he was finally able to receive a good night's rest without nightmares or the usual presence of the lingering darkness. Which for his sanity would be needed when Mystia next left Skyhold.

******

A roar sounded throughout the Hissing Wastes and Mystia with her companions turned to watch a Sandy Howler go flying over there heads and she strung out a rather colorful arrangement of words. Looking to her companions, she bolted forward with them hot on her heels as the Dragon attacked the nearest Inquisition camp, sending many of the people there fleeing as she zipped past them. Mystia prepared her shield and charged towards the beast as Sera sent an arrow into the hide of the beast. The dragon spotted Mystia and the others coming towards her and roared as it leapt for Mystia sending a bolt of fire towards her to which Mystia blocked with her metal shield (that bore both the mark of the Inquisition and two howling wolf's heads on either side) and sent the bolt of fire flying into the air. She lunged at the dragon's legs and landed a hefty blow that had the dragon trying to rake her for. Mystia dodged and began leading the dragon as far away from the encampment as possible. She raced away the Dragon taking to the sky to follow and Mystia knew that where she needed to go would have to allow her room to take on the beast alone. "MYSTIA!" She heard Solas call out but she was already too far gone to hear what he said next. When Mystia finally arrived at a safe place to battle the beast head-on, she was not aware of her companions chasing after her as the members of the Inquisition arrived back at the camp to help fix it up. When Mystia came walking back to the camp with Solas, Sera and Blackwall close behind, each looked as if they were almost afraid to get close to her after witnessing her take on such a mighty creature all alone. Whispers soon spread among the soldiers and scouts that Mystia was truly a force of nature, for not only was she the Herald of Andraste she was also a being to not fuck with, she was a _Dragon Hunter_. Mystia had a small open wound across her nose now from the longs of the claws on the dragon and stopping she looked over the Inquisition members that were present as they watched her.

"The beast is no more, send for however many carts to come and return the bones, scales, horns, and claws to Skyhold," She told them as cheers went up, turning she went to check on those who were wounded from the dragon's attack and was pleased to hear that no one had been killed this day. But then looking towards Cassandra, she smirked, "Cullen is going to kill me," When word reached Skyhold of Mystia's newest title, Leliana was informing both Josephine and Cullen in the ambassador's office.

"It seems our dear Inquisitor is turning out to be quiet the dragon hunter. She has just slain the Sandy Howler that has been hounding our people in the Hissing Wastes for days now. She was injured during the fight but it is only a minor wound that will not trouble her."

"Maker's breath!" Cullen sighed shaking his head. "How many has she killed?" He asked as Leliana informed them causing both their jaws to drop.

"This one will make it the eighth." Cullen's heart stopped then.

"Eight!" He said in disbelief as Leliana nodded.

"Two more and she will become the singular most legendary Dragon Hunter around, then she will truly be the talk of the court for years to come," Josephine said sounding also shocked as Leliana smiled.

"A Templar turned Inquisitor who has turned into the greatest Dragon Hunter. That will certainly get both the Chantry and the Order talking as well as put her into the history books." Leliana agreed as Cullen's mind whirled from this information. "I have also been informed to tell you, Commander, that there were several wounded, but no one was killed as Mystia arrived in time to save the camp, the soldiers and the scouts in the encampment." Cullen nodded, grateful that he wouldn't have to write any more letters to families who could have lost their family member serving the Inquisition in the dragon's relentless attacks.

"What was her injury?" Cullen asked as Leliana sighed.

"She was scratched along her cheeks and nose but Solas has healed it to where it's nothing but a scar now." Leliana sighed shaking her head. "According to Solas, Mystia fought the dragon alone almost as if she was possed by a demon or a spirit of some sort." Cullen almost shivered, until a voice spoke up.

"And you all are only figuring this out now?" All of Mystia's advisors turned to see one of her brothers walking in, this one was not Oliver and thus they figured it to be one of the twins that Mystia was fond of mentioning. "Name's Ellis and I'm one of the young brothers of Mystia." They could see he was a mage and they wondered why he wasn't in the Ostwick Circle right at this moment. "Oliver let me and my Templar lover come see Mystia as Oliver and my twin are going to be doing a few Harrowings here for the next few weeks. She wrote to Oliver about two weeks ago and I swear I have never seen our older brother closer to keeling over and dying than when she sent him that letter."

"She sent him a letter?" Leliana asked as Ellis nodded.

"Winter delivered it, another reason Mystia keeps her beautiful owl around, not just for the companionship but to deliver private letters to her family and anyone she sees worthy of the title of family," Ellis informed them as Cullen watched the mage. "Don't worry Commander, I know how my sister treats you. In all of the letters, she and I write back and forth to each other, she speaks very highly and very lovingly of you. I will say that Oliver isn't exactly pleased to see Mystia in love with another Templar, even if you have left the Order, and will probably treat you as lower then dirt, but he did tell me to commend you for having the guts to start a relationship with our temperamental and headstrong sister," Ellis smiled as he looked at the others. "So what's this I heard about my sister slaying eight dragons?" When Leliana informed him he whistled then laughed. "Oh boy... Father, Oliver, and Ivan are going to have a major hay day when they hear about this. Seems Mystia has to outdo me in everything, though I'm not crazy enough to take on a High Dragon alone," Ellis had a minor sparkle in his eyes thinking about his sister's batshit crazy antics.

"You mentioned something about us only now figuring out about Mystia. What did you mean?" Josephine asked as Ellis sighed.

"You're not going to like this but Mystia..." Ellis told them of Mystia's time serving at the Circle and what all had really happened to cause her to leave. "...Needless to say in the end she managed to kill the demon that was attempting to possess her, but it left her greatly scarred in both mind and soul. Sadly, some traits of the demon remain with her, such as the way she fights as if she is possessed but she never once blamed the Mages for it. In fact, she will openly tell you that she was at fault," Ellis closed his eyes. "Many of the Templars are still trying to figure out how she was able to defeat the demon and she will say that she doesn't exactly remember either, but Ivan and I are claiming it down to her heart being so big that when she feels that those she cares about are in danger she will do anything to keep them safe. But in truth, Ivan and I were in the fade to save her from the demon and we were witness to a spirit coming to her aid. He called himself Valor, but since that day Mystia really hasn't been the same and I am sure by now she's really changed beyond what she used to be like and it's probably for the better."

"Why wouldn't she tells us this herself?" Cullen questioned as Ellis frowned.

"Because her mind won't let her remember it properly. She knows **_something_** happened, but doesn't remember what happened and it is probably best that it stays that way."

"Why?" Leliana asked as Ellis closed his eyes.

"Our family is loyal to the chantry and we are both famously and infamously known throughout the Templar Order. Famously as we are the only true family who is known to have two of the eldest living children in the Order while Ivan and I are the mages and infamously as many of our family within the Order have been known to willingly give into the Lyrium addiction. Father fears that if she were to be told and her memory of that time was to return as it was being told to her then she is most likely follow in the footsteps of so many of our family members," Ellis grew quiet then as his words sunk in. "That's why I encourage her to stop taking Lyrium in the first place. So that way, when the time is right to tell her she won't risk the danger of falling to the addiction. When Oliver told us what she had said that day he came to see her, about you Commander, and then I received the letter from her telling me about you. Something in me knew that I can trust you to help her," Ellis looked at Cullen who seemed surprised, "It's not often that Mystia speaks in such high regards to someone she adores so thoroughly, in fact until she met you she never spoke of anyone in that way."

Cullen felt almost smug about that but then turned around to speak about something else, "If I may," Cullen started up as Ellis smiled. "You said you have a templar lover, how did that come about?"

Ellis laughed then as he motioned for a Templar standing at the door to move forward. "Easy," The Templar stopped at Ellis's side, "When Mystia was still the Knight-Captain she managed to talk Oliver **_AND_** the former First Enchanter into letting templars and mages start open relationships."

"She did it after she noted how Virgil and I made, as she infamously puts it, "Bedroom" eyes at each other."

"I don't recall her calling it that exactly, but damn was she persuasive and very successful. That's also why the Circle in Ostwick hasn't fallen, it allowed peace to come between the Templars and mages in the Circle but one thing she did insist upon was "the birds and the bees" talk happening for each young Templar and mage that comes to the circle," Virgil smiled at Ellis who nodded.

"Always so fun to have that discussion, but any females who come of age are required to drink a special tea to prevent any accidental children from happening unless the women and their special someone feel they are truly ready to have a child."

"Isn't Maria due any day now with her first child?"

"Yes, and if it's a girl, Maria and Marcus are naming her after Mystia."

"Oh, won't that make my sister a bubbling mess," Cullen listened to Ellis say that yet Cullen could not imagine Mystia becoming a "bubbling mess" over having a child named after her. "Oh by the way, before I forget Commander. A little birdy has informed me how you beat my sister in a game of chess," Cullen smiled remembering that day (needless to say he had been very entertained at the look on her face when he beat her) and nodded. "I just so happen to be a better chess player then she is and was hoping that maybe later we can see who is the better out of the both of us."

"Here we again." Virgil groaned to himself as Cullen thought about it.

"Alright, but I won't take it easy on you," Cullen told him crossing his arms as Ellis smiled.

"Good, because I like a challenge when it comes to chess." With that, they parted ways and Cullen went to his office to write to Mystia to forwarn her that Ellis was there.

****

Mystia smiled at the letter Cullen had sent.  _Ellis is going to wreak house on Cullen in Chess._  Mystia chuckled at the thought of her lover being annihilated in chess by her youngest brother out of the twins.

"What is that?" Solas asked walking over to sit with Mystia as she looked to the elven mage.

"A letter from Cullen," She responded looking the paper over again. "I guess my brother Ellis is at Skyhold and has challenged the Commander to a game of chess," Mystia couldn't help but shake her head again.

"Sounds like that would be interesting to witness," Solas handed Mystia a cup and she took it from him.

"It will be entertaining to watch. Ellis is the best chess player in my family and is the reigning undefeated champion of the Ostwick Circle. He will more than likely wreak house with Cullen, if only I could be there to see it." She heard Solas chuckle at the thought of seeing Cullen looking defeated at his own game.

"You miss him don't you?" Solas asked as Mystia nodded.

"I can't deny it, Cullen is...different from other men." Mystia folded up the letter and put it into a pocket. "He treats me as if I am his entire world and in some strange sense when i'm in his arms I feel as if I am home." Solas smiled towards Mystia as if he were an understanding parent.

"It's not strange. You have found the one for you," Solas explained to her as she looked over at him. "You have found the man who will always be there for you even in your darkest of times."

"Leliana always said that when we were still in Haven, she would watch Cullen and would see how he "acted as if he was a lost mabari puppy" who found the person to be with," Mystia said looking towards the drink, Solas had insisted on her drinking this tea for a reason she understood perfectly, but to where others were unsuccessful at making it sweeter, Solas knew exactly what to add to make it taste as if it was pure honey.

"She was right about that as you would do the same thing when he was training the soldiers."

Mystia flinched then. "That obvious?" She asked with a blush as Solas smiled.

"It was," Solas treated Mystia as if she was his own daughter, and she was okay with that as she sometimes felt as if he was a patient father when it came to her. "You two are meant for each other." Solas touched her shoulder and smiled kindly towards her. "Drink up." He told her as she nodded and drank her tea while staring out over the vast expanse of the desert as he left her alone.

"Oh, mother. If only if you were still here." Since Mystia was taking the first watch, she had some time to talk to her mother while looking up at the stars. "I could really use your wisdom and advice. I miss the nights where we would sit out on the roof of the house and just talk about the sky. I would ask you for advice on matters of the heart as I have fallen for a man who treats me like you always wanted me to be treated." Mystia closed her eyes for a minute. "Have I told you yet that I am the Inquisitor? But you probably already knew that." Mystia opened her eyes again. "Cullen is a good man, mom, and I wish you could meet him as I think you would like him. He's been nothing but kind and understanding and makes me happy..." Mystia continued to speak to her deceased mother for a while as the night waned on.


	7. Six

Ellis sat talking with Cullen over their epic game of chess, "This is possibly the most challenge I have ever had in a game of chess, Commander." Ellis smiled at Cullen who seemed deep in thought as he made his move.

"Agreed," Cullen sat back, the game was for the fun of it but Ellis was a happy little chatterbox and was more than pleased to tell Cullen what he could about the Trevelyan family.

"How much do you want to bet me that Mystia is wishing she was here?" Ellis asked as Cullen chuckled, but before he could speak Mystia's voice sounded nearby and both her younger brother and Cullen about jumped away from the table as they turned to see her smirking.

"And miss my Commander having his ass handed to him by the reigning undefeated champion chess player in the Ostwick circle? I don't think so," Mystia smirked as she walked up to stand near the table.

"If you're dear Commander has his way I will be defeated." Cullen smiled at Ellis admitting that it was possible.

"Then I guess I arrived back in time to witness this day," Mystia smiled as she walked over to Cullen to kiss him on the lips, fully knowing that it would distract him.

"Get a room." Ellis sighed out in mock disgust as Mystia smiled.

"You and Virgil are worse, how long did it take before you two started a relationship?" She reminded him as Ellis blushed a red so bright that she laughed. "Oh, the story I could tell about that!"

"Don't you dare!" Ellis said as Virgil came racing up.

_**"SIS!"**_ Virgil cried out as Mystia turned to see the Templar running up.

"Virgil!" She smiled as she leaped into his arms which he then proceeded to squish her into a bear hug.

"We've missed you!" he smiled once he let her go.

"I know and I'm so sorry," She apologized as Cullen watched the exchange. "But please tell me: has Oliver started training you to replace me as his Knight-Captain yet?"

"Not yet," Virgil rubbed the back of his neck. "He keeps saying that no one could replace you."

Mystia shook her head, "When you return to the Circle tell him I said to get you into training for it!"

"And this is where I will interject for a moment," Ellis spoke up moving a piece that had Cullen looking at the board with a frown. "You know well enough that big brother will ask if you could."

"And I will tell him the same thing I have been for months! he needs to do it. Besides, if worse comes to worst we can always remind our dear brother how his wife took him on and beat him when he called her weak and no match."

"Oh, that was surely the most entertaining day of our lives." Virgil smiled at the shared memory as Cullen questioned it with a raised brow.

Ellis, however, was more than happy to answer. "Let's just say everyone in the circle was present when the dear Knight-Commander had his ass outright handed to him by a female mage in hand to hand combat."

"And she couldn't even use magic because we had nullified the area." Virgil smiled at that.

"He will never live that one down." Mystia smiled as Cullen shook his head, "Seems the men in my family can't grasp a concept until they've had their asses handed to them."

" ** _HEY!_** " Ellis pouted then. "I haven't had the need to have _MY_ ass handed to me."

"Yet." Virgil filled in as Mystia bust up laughing with the inability to breathe, even Cullen chuckled at that.

"You're mean," Ellis told Virgil who smiled.

"Only when you deserve it, love."

"Mystia, Virgil is being mean!" Ellis whined but Mystia was lost in her hysteria and was barely managing to stand with how bad her laughing fit was. Virgil was watching her carefully and Cullen was wondering if she was okay, but she managed to recover soon enough now flat on her ass and wiping away the tears in her eyes.

"And this is why we can't have a normal family get together." Mystia smiled at Ellis rolled his eyes.

"Who said anything about our family being normal?" Virgil asked as Mystia gave a look that agreed with him.

"I don't know but I am sure someone out there has," Mystia smiled as Ellis and Cullen returned to their game. Cullen was listening to the conversation that Mystia and Virgil were having as he played his moves against Ellis, but in the end, the game was Cullen's and the look on Ellis's face was priceless. "Holy shit, to think I would live to see this day," Mystia said with brows raised as she stood near Cullen who then pulled her into his lap to kiss her. Ellis said nothing as his jaw dropped and Virgil looked at the couple across from his own lover.

"Well then. That was a rather interesting game. It seems to me, sis, that you have found the one man in the world who has beaten Ellis on the playing field of chess."

"I believe I have and he is the best Commander I could have asked for for the Inquisition's army," She whispered smiling at Cullen who kissed her again.

Once Ellis and Virgil left, Mystia and Cullen sat speaking for a few more moments. "Are you leaving to go anywhere else?"

"Not for a while. Why?" She asked, standing to let him up.

"We have some dealings in Ferelden. I was hoping you might accompany me. When you can spare the time, of course." He started as he looked into her blue eyes.

"Is something the matter?" She asked

"What? No...I would rather explain there if you wish to go." He tried to save himself and it seemed to work.

"I believe there is time now." She informed him as he smiled.

"I will make the necessary arrangements," He kissed her before walking away as she looked towards the chess pieces that had been put into their normal areas. What he wasn't telling her was that he had made a plan for a special surprise for her birthday, though his present to her would be half a month early. As he walked away he remembered the day she had caught him in a bad "spot" and figured that by asking her to go with him he could make it up to her, but while he walked the memory played out in his head and some little part of him knew it was doing the same thing in Mystia's mind as well.

_Mystia walked into Cullen's office to speak with him about something but seeing a lone scout there had her worried. "Inquisitor, If you are looking for the Commander he has gone to speak with Seeker Pentaghast." the scout informed her as she frowned with worry and thanked the scout._

_Upon arriving at the smithy, where she could hear Cullen's and Cassandra's voices, Mystia was now fearing the worst was about to come. "You asked for my opinion, and I've given it! Why would you expect it to change?" Mystia's worried heart was racing as if it was one of her father's prized mares all while as she drew closer to the smithy the voices rose._

_"I expect you to keep your word. It's relentless. I can't-!" His voice stopped for a moment to rub his temple with a single hand._

_"You give yourself too little credit." Cassandra frowned, while Cullen was distracted by the symptoms of withdrawal, she could hear Mystia approaching cautiously._

_"If I'm unable to fulfill what vows I kept, then nothing good has come of this." He growled at her still not noticing Mystia approaching. "Would you rather save face than admit-!" he stopped short as Mystia came walking in. Cassandra crossed her arms as Cullen began to leave. "Forgive me." He told Mystia who was confused as to what just happened._

_"And people say_ I'm _stubborn." Cassandra frowned, saying the words loud enough for Cullen to hear as he walked away. "This is ridiculous." She looked to Mystia. "Cullen told you that he is no longer taking lyrium?" She asked as Mystia nodded._

_"He has, though it was only after he managed to convince me to take it again." Mystia frowned as Cassandra nodded._

_"He told me that he convinced you to do so in a way that displeased you."_

_"More then displeased but I'm pretty sure I know why he did it, though it pains me every day to know that I'm taking the one thing he is trying so hard to give up. I do, however, respect his decision to not take it anymore," Mystia frowned not knowing that Cullen could hear her words._

_"As do I. Not that he's willing to listen." Cassandra shook her head. "Cullen has asked that I recommend a replacement for him." At the look Mystia had on her face, Cassandra could almost see the thought going through her head. "I refused. It's not necessary. Besides, it would destroy him. He's come so far." Mystia jumped straight to the point after that._

_"Is there anything we can do to change his mind?" She asked as Cassandra knew the look in Mystia's eyes._

_"If anyone could. It's you. You know what it means to be a Templar. To be bound to the Order, mind and soul, with someone always holding the lyrium leash," When Cassandra noted the clenched jaw from Mystia she knew she struck the truth. "Cullen has a chance to break that leash. To prove to himself-and any who would follow suit- That it is possible." Cassandra watched Mystia as the younger woman closed her eyes. She knew that if anyone would follow Cullen in breaking away from the Order and the leash, it would be Mystia when the time was right. "He_ can _do this. I knew that when we met in Kirkwall. Talk to him. Decide if now is the time." With that, Cassandra walked away leaving Mystia to pinch the bridge of her nose as the younger woman huffed out a breath._

_"Maker preserve me." Mystia shook her head but began walking towards Cullen's office where she was just barely missed by a flying box._

_"Maker's breath!" Cullen saw her standing there looking at the box now. "I didn't hear you enter! I-!" But then he growled low before speaking again though he did not look up at her. "Forgive me." He apologized as she looked at him with a brow raised._

_"Cullen," She started as he began to fear that she would end their relationship then and there. "If you need to talk..."_

_"You don't have to-" He groaned in pain and from the corner of his sight he saw her tense up to leap to his side, but he managed to wave for her to stop. "I never meant for this to interfere," he told her as he noticed that she remained ready to jump to his side. He could feel her beautiful blue eyes watching him closely, checking him for any more signs of weakness._

_"Are you going to be alright?" She asked him with concern echoing in her voice._

_Hearing her ask that seemed to give him some strength back, but not by much. "Yes...I don't know." He corrected himself. He then went on a small tirade and found that she was still listening. "Can't you see why I want nothing to do with that life?" He asked as she watched him with her arms crossing. Seeing her in that stance, he could see the beauty she was but he also knew that behind that graceful guise was an untamed wolf, that like a deadly viper, could strike at any moment._

_"Of course I can." She told him in her matter of fact tone of voice. "I-"_

_"Don't." He told her watching her, he could almost see her hackles raise and through that he was hoping to get something out of her. "You should be questioning what I've done. I thought this would be better- That I would regain some control over my life." He was going on another tirade yet she remained right there listening but never moving. "But these thoughts won't leave me! How many lives depend on our success? I swore myself to this cause! I will_ not _give less to the Inquisition then I did the Chantry. I should be taking it!" He was over by his bookshelves and closing his hand into a fist he threw it into the unsuspecting bookcase, "I should be taking it." He sighed out in defeat as Mystia's jaws clenched shut which in turn caused her to take a second to speak._

_"This doesn't have to be about the Inquisition. Is this what_ you _want?" She asked her voice going almost neutral (a tone of voice that she very, very rarely used) and it caused what patrolling guards that were around to scatter quicker than a swarm of flies in the wind (even the scout who was normally present and hovering around seemed to disappear into non-existence). Cullen looked up at her, he could feel the energy rolling off of her in waves and it honestly frightened him as he had never know Mystia to strike out at any member of the Inquisition and secretly he prayed that he would not be the first._

_"No." He admitted in defeat and now his voice grew soft. "But...These memories have always haunted me-if they become worse if I cannot endure-" Now it was her turn to interrupt him as he made to pass her, but she held out a hand and placed it on his chest as he recognized it as her left hand._

_"You can." Was all she said before she turned to leave._

_"All right." He said while watching her leave. He knew she was leaving to prepare for the Hissing Wastes the next day and it frightened him._

_Yet still, she chooses me..._ Cullen thought to himself as he walked to prepare for their trip. He planed for both himself and her to leave on the afternoon of the next day as tonight and tomorrow morning she would be sitting on her throne delivering judgments, one that Josephine was insisting on doing this night and the rest in the morning. After all the arrangements were made Cullen went to go watch the judgment Mystia was about to deliver and frowned when he saw an Avvar chieftain being led in, he looked to Josephine as she announced what was going on and it left him with a raised brow in question.

"This was a surprise. After you returned from the bogs, we discovered this man attacking. The building. With a... Goat." Josephine noted the questioning look on Mystia's face before Mystia turned to the chieftain. She could hear her brother questioning how the man had managed that and heard Virgil trying not to laugh. "Chief Movran The Under. He feels slighted by the killing of his Avvar tribesman. Who repeatedly attacked you first." Josephine frowned as she heard the room grow silent. "What should we do with him? Where...should he go?" Josephine asked already knowing that Mystia would not execute him.

"You answered the death of your clan...with a goat?" Mystia asked while managing to keep a straight face, which was becoming harder for Cullen to do as he thought more about the situation.

Morvan laughed, "A courtroom? Unnecessary! You killed my idiot son, and I answered, as is my custom, by smacking your holdings with goat's blood." the man was entertaining Mystia but her templar training was kicking in to help keep her face unreadable. Mystia looked at Josephine for a moment and the woman sighed as Cullen understood what the look said, though Josephine seemed to miss it.

"Don't look at me."

"No foul! He meant to murder Tevinters, but got feisty with your Inquisition. A redheaded mother guarantees a brat!" Morvan said as Mystia took slight offense to that. Her mother had been a "redhead" and Mystia and her Siblings had not been brats, (well if Mystia didn't count the time they ruined one of their father's parties with earwigs) she and her siblings had been almost saintly. "Do as you've earned, Inquisitor. My clan yields. My remaining boys still have brains in their heads!" Morvan laughed at the joke he made.

But then Mystia finally cracked a smile. "It seems our Conflict was accidental." She smiled at the man who could tell that she really was a good woman. "Chief Morvran, but it can't be repeated." Mystia went straight-faced again. "I banish you and your clan- with as many weapons as you can carry- to Tevinter." Mystia glanced around quickly and saw Cullen standing with brows raised in question, almost as if he was asking her if she really wanted to do that.

Morvan laughed heartily then, "My idiot boy got us something after all!" Still laughing the chieftain was led away and everyone began to disperse, while Mystia rubbed her face with a hand.

"Can't say there is not at least one day in a single week where I question my own damned sanity," Mystia spoke up as she looked over to see Cullen approaching.

"There is never a dull day it seems." Cullen smiled as Mystia shook her head.

"Mmn," she hummed to herself as she scratched at an itch on her head. "and just to think tomorrow I have at least four more to do, one of those includes the Duchess." Mystia closed her eyes. She was already regretting not outright killing the woman, who was being all kinds of whiny and annoying. Cullen could tell Mystia was getting a headache from thinking about it and decided to fix that.

"Let's worry about her when her time comes," Cullen frowned watching Mystia as she opened her eyes. "I am still trying to understand the goat's blood."

Mystia chuckled, "I'm wondering if the poor thing is okay." Mystia began to stand up, but then the injury she had sustained the day before returning acted up and Cullen was swift to catch her.

"Are you alright?!" he asked as he helped her stand up.

"It's nothing." She tried to tell him, but the searing white-hot pain located on her side, said otherwise as Cullen's eyes immediately scanned her over, only to land on the now blooding spot where her injury was located. He was swift to hoist her into his arms (despite her protests) and carried her up to her room where he could gain a better look at it after laying her down.

"Maker's Breath, Mystia!" His eyes went wide as he studied the wound that she figured she had been hiding pretty damn well up to that point. "Why didn't you say something?" he scolded her like an old maid as she swung her legs over the side of her bed to stand back up. He was instantly about to force her back down but she stopped him.

"One: I don't think bleeding on the bed will help matters any, knowing my luck it will only make it worse," She told him as he backed off a step knowing she was right. "Two: I didn't say anything because I thought the damned thing was fine." Mystia felt herself slipping off to the left as her balance was being lost and Cullen was right back to help her stand, but the pain was almost forcing her to double over as she felt every inch of her body being wracked by shivers.

She heard Cullen remove a bracer and glove and then she felt his hand upon her head. "Shit," he growled low as she could figure what he had discovered. "Let's get you into a bath and I will send someone for the surgeon." Cullen frowned as he noticed a scout entering. "You!" he barked as the scout looked towards him, "Go find the surgeon! _**NOW!**_ " the scout (who was the same one from the day Cullen had kissed Mystia, and the same one who Cullen had been known to bark at for barely listening half the time) did not need to be told twice upon seeing the state that Mystia was in. Cullen still wasn't entirely sure why Mystia kept the man around, but when it came down to it she had been right to take the man out from under Cullen and move him to be her personal assistant. The man seemed to be listening better since Mystia had done what she did, and Cullen rarely if ever had to bark at the man to get him to do things. Cullen felt Mystia's weight suddenly start to slip and was barely able to catch her as she passed out from the blood loss she was suffering from. "MYSTIA!" he called out but she was too far gone to hear his words.

*****

Ellis and Virgil raced up the staircase to reach Mystia's room. Cassandra, Dorian, Varric, Bull and the others were close behind but Ellis only had thoughts of his older sister on his mind as he bolted past Cullen, who had been forced to wait outside in the hallway, while Virgil came to a stop to ask what had happened. "She has a wound on her side that I wasn't aware of," Cullen explained as Virgil cursed.

"And since she didn't say anything, I couldn't have known to be careful when I hugged her." Virgil was starting to blame himself but then Solas and Dorian zipped by to lend their healing abilities if it was needed.

"Don't blame yourself, Virgil," Cassandra spoke up the minute she stopped next to the two males. "The Inquisitor is known for not letting others know of her pain. It's a miracle that the Commander managed to catch it when he did." Cassandra watched as the rest of the companions came flying up. "It is a habit that needs to be broken as soon as possible." Cassandra turned back to Cullen and Virgil, both who looked like they would rather hear something else than her harsh words. Time passed slowly after that, and with each agonizing hour, Cullen began to fear that Mystia would be lost to them. _Lost to him_. When Ellis, Solas, Dorian and the surgeon began to file out of the room, everyone turned to look at the group of three mages and the woman.

Ellis did not dare to speak, Dorian looked like he was damn near tears and the Surgeon just walked away leaving Solas as the only one to speak. "The injury is now fully healed, however, the fever has yet to break. I would suggest letting the Inquisitor sleep for as long as possible, I will be taking turns with Dorian and Ellis to check up on her as the night progresses. Cullen, I would suggest you stay with her but switch out with Virgil and Bull. Seeker Cassandra-"

"I will be coming and going as needed."

Ellis finally spoke then. "Why? It's not like she is actually taking Lyrium agai-!" then it truly struck him as Cullen and the others looked away shyly while Cassandra looked at him. "She really is..." Ellis seemed almost saddened to know that. "That would explain a lot." Ellis closed his eyes as Virgil looked worriedly towards his lover. "Alright, Solas, who should check on her after you?"

"Decide between you and Dorian." with that Solas left as Ellis looked to his tevinter cousin.

"I'll go after Solas. You need to get some rest." Dorian and Bull walked away as Cullen watched everyone disappear before he walked back into Mystia's room to sit on her bed and studied her carefully. Reaching over he placed a gloved hand on her cheek and felt tears well up in his eyes as he prayed that she would recover, as the hours grew late. He did not realize that he had started to doze off on her couch until Bull shook him awake. Looking to the burly Qunari, Cullen understood that it was Bull's turn to take the vigil, and as he prepared to leave Mystia's voice had them all stopping to look at her.

_"Please!"_  She began to breathe heavily as her voice was barely a whisper and that had Cullen over by her side in an instant.  _"Help me!"_  She was begging some unknown thing as the mark began to flare.

"Get Solas!" Cullen told Bull who nodded and took off to find the elven apostate. When Bull arrived with Solas in tow the mark was now becoming more unstable and the elf had his work cut out for him as he tried to get it stable again. Ellis was the next to arrive as the mage's wild-eyed gaze landed on Cullen.

"Her nightmare!" Was all he said as Virgil came racing in after him. "There's a damn demon. Ivan is in the Fade right this minute trying to help her but this area needs to be purged, now!" Ellis knew that being anywhere near the Templars present when they used their ability would cut him off from the Fade for a time, and would greatly sicken him but he would remain. Solas understood what that meant and was swift to evacuate the area as Dorian followed him. Ellis looked at Virgil and nodded, and though Virgil didn't exactly agree with Ellis staying, he was swift to purge the area of any harmful spells and at the same time as Cullen, both templars lunged towards a demon that had been hiding nearby that they had been unable to sense before the purge. Ellis felt sick to his stomach but watched as the two Templars slaughtered the demon before turning to his sister who seemed to be breathing easier now. "It worked," Ellis said sounding weary as Cullen and Virgil turned to see Mystia breathing normally. but Ellis continued to pale. "Now if you will excuse me." With that, the poor man took off and Virgil looked to Cullen.

"Check her temperature. I will go tend to Ellis." Virgil left the room as Cullen checked Mystia's forehead. What he discovered had him sighing in relief as Bull looked towards him.

"The Boss'll be alright now." Bull said walking towards the door. "Take care of her for the rest of the night, Cullen." Bull left Cullen sitting there as the man studied Mystia closely, but couldn't help it when another sigh of relief escaped him as she groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

" _Cullen?_ " She asked quietly as he smiled.

"I'm here," he told her leaning forward to rest his head on hers. "And I'm not leaving for the rest of the night." He promised her as he had her lay back down, while he went around to the other side of the bed to lay down after removing his breastplate, making sure to pull her close so she could hear his heartbeat, which seemingly now only beat for her.

****

Cullen turned to look at Mystia as she followed him, the moonlight shining on her hair revealed the natural blue highlights that were normally hidden and the starlight that was somehow glistening in her eyes truly gave her an almost goddess-like celestial appearance. "Where are we?" She asked as her voice barely echoed, it was almost as if she was afraid to disturb the peaceful scenery around them and Cullen couldn't help but adore her more for it.

"You walk into danger every day. I wanted to take you away from that. If only for a moment." He told her as she looked around. Every little thing she did made his love for her grow, but it was how cautious she was at this moment that made him see that she truly was a beauty. "I grew up not far from here. This place was always quiet," he told her as he leaned up against one of the pilings.

"Did you come here often?" She asked watching him relax for the first time that she could remember.

"I love my siblings, but they were very loud. I would come here to clear my head." He looked towards her at that moment and could feel his heart skip a beat.  _Maker, she is a sight to behold._  He thought as he smiled. "Of course, they always found me eventually." he couldn't help but tell her more about himself. Which was something he found to be a bit of a relief as she very rarely asked him anything about his personal life as she had informed him that she was more than sure he would tell her everything when he was ready.  _And here, I am discovering everything about her, while she knows so little about me._  Cullen thought to himself as he decided to rectify that completely.

"You were happy here?" She questioned as he looked back at her.

"I was. I still am." He informed her as she turned her gaze away from him. he could almost hear the thoughts running through her mind but gave no time for her to say anything. "The last time I was here was the day I left for Templar training. My brother gave me this." Cullen pulled out a coin and Mystia looked at him with a slight smile. "It just happened to be in his pocket, but he said it was for luck. Templars are not supposed to carry such things. Our faith should see us through." he said as she felt the locket she kept under her own armor grow a touch heavy. She didn't need to be told that, but with her entire family well known for being in the Chantry or in the Order, she had been given some leniency though not much.

"You broke the Order's rules? I'm shocked." She smiled as he caught the joke.

"Until a year ago, I was very good at following them. Most of the time," he admitted as she shook her head with a slight chuckle.

_Oh, the stories I have for you._  She thought to herself as her own antics within the Order came into her mind.

"This was the only thing I took from Ferelden that the Templars didn't give me." Then Cullen looked towards Mystia and wondered what she was thinking and his next words interrupted whatever thoughts she was having. "Humor me," he said grabbing her attention as his free hand gently lifted her right hand to place the coin in it. "We don't know what you'll face before the end. This can't hurt." He told her as he closed her hand around the coin and held her enclosed hand in both of his. But she only shook her head.

"Keep it." She returned the coin to him. "I wouldn't want your luck to run out." She told him as he watched her with both amazement and wonder. All she ever did was think about others, and he was at the top of her list to care for and now he could see why.

"Neither would I. Not when I finally have some." He smiled as he put the coin back into his pocket. this was the first true glimpse into her mind he had received and now he saw that she believed herself lucky with him around. "But..."

"Cullen, I have all the luck I need. I have it when I think of you, and I know I have it when I am around you." She told him with a smile that was so gentle he thought his heart would melt into non-existence right then and there. " _YOU_ are my luck." She whispered as he moved closer to her, his lips soon met hers and with only the gentle lapping sound of the water around them, this ended up being a perfect moment that was stolen from time itself.


	8. Seven

Since that night on the lake, Mystia could not stop thinking of Cullen and how they had stolen a perfectly wonderful moment from time. But now as she ran around collecting letters from an abandoned smugglers' caravan, she couldn't help but bristle as she read over the letters. At the last letter, she grabbed it up she couldn't help but speak. "Another letter mentioning Samson. And papers with names." She knew what to do with the list of names. "Cullen could use this." She knew that she would be away from Skyhold for another week, but when she reached an Inquisition camp, she was swift to send the papers to Cullen with a letter explaining everything she had found out.

**_Will have to stay here for another week, something is not sitting right with me about what is happening around here. Find out what you can and when I return we will discuss this more._ **

Mystia bit her lower lip before dragging out and finishing a more private letter to him that she would have Winter take directly to him, once the Spymasters birds were there with the papers she had found.

**_...try to keep Winter there this time for me? I know she hates to be couped up but this time it's needed or send her with a letter to Ellis, he knows what to do to keep her safe. I know my other two brothers aren't exactly happy about Winter, but they will not dare touch her (probably for fear of my wrath). I have a haunting feeling something is about to happen but I can't say what it is exactly. Had a giant attack us while we were gathering things. I've fought and killed dragons, but giants are completely out of my league. Maker! I pray I don't have to face another one of those things. I had read about them while in the Ostwick library when I wasn't entertaining my other hobbies but nothing prepared me for what they can do, though I could have sworn that we were far enough away from it to not be noticed but, sadly, I was proven very wrong. Just thinking about it gives me the shivers. Also heading out to face another dragon, don't roll your eyes at me. Anyway, I will return to you in a week and the first thing I will need is to have a bath, don't ask I'd rather not say why though I'm sure you can already guess. I miss you dearly and I wish I could speed things up but I know that all we can do is play the waiting game before seeing each other again._ **

Mystia smiled then and once the official birds were long gone, Mystia tied the private letter to Winter's leg and kissed the owl's forehead. "Be safe Winter. Let none catch you and fly with the winds in your favor." With a quick release, Winter was flying away to get to Cullen and Mystia frowned heavily. All she could do was hope and pray that Winter would make it safely back to Skyhold, to which the owl did as she screeched at Cullen who was walking back to his office with the papers of the names of the smugglers' names on it.

Cullen stopped for a brief moment and held out his free arm to allow Winter to land safely. He noticed the paper tied to the majestic creature's leg and nodded in understanding as he took her into his office, where she was swift to move to her newest perch that Mystia had managed to convince Cullen to put in his office for her. He waited until nightfall to open the more private letter and shook his head at what was written there. "Maker..." he sighed out as he looked at the now sleeping owl. "You are going to hate me, Winter." He told the creature as it slept peacefully. "But you are going to return to Ostwick first thing in the morning." With that, he began to plot out what was needed to get more information about what Mystia had discovered, and when she returned a week later (and had enjoyed a much-needed bath) she went to find him in his office. "The smugglers we interrogated gave up the Red Templars primary source of red lyrium, Inquisitor," he informed her quickly as he noted her hair down to let it dry. It's located in the Dales, near a town called Sahrina. Destroying the mine will cripple Samson's operations." He was pleased to tell her this information and she was just as grateful to hear it.

"Excellent work, Commander. I'll investigate the mine," She smiled at him as he became a bit flustered before recovering quickly.

"Destroying the Red Templars source of lyrium will be a loss Samson won't soon forget." He knew that she was pleased to deliver any kind of major blow to her enemy and it excited him in some small form to see her in such a mood as when she was in this type of mood, it meant that she was less like to become frustrated with those around her. Soon enough she was gone to the mine, but when she returned to Skyhold this time her once good mood had been replaced with a silent rage that sent almost everyone scattering to the winds. While she was busy with a few things to help quell her unyielding rage (such as dueling Bull in the training ring as the Qunari had insisted upon her doing so), Cullen read over the letters she had found in the mind and was soon in the same mindset as she was. When a full hour passed, he heard her come walking in and was swift to address her. "I've been reading the letters found in the mine." He said standing to look at her, the rage was still rolling off of her, but it wasn't as bad as before. "Samson is making Red Lyrium from people?!"

"Not anymore. Not in that mine." She told him while trying to regain control over the seething rage she had, to which Cullen could tell wasn't working very well.

"I knew Samson had fallen, but this? It's monstrous. We have to put an end to him." Cullen said as he looked at Mystia. "Look at these orders from the encampment. That armor must give Samson extraordinary power." Cullen frowned heavily. "We may not be able to stop him."

"Take away his armor and the lyrium and Samson is just another man." She reminded him carefully, between his well-controlled rage and her more unpredictable rage, it was quite surprising to everyone that the two got along so well outside of the fact that they were lovers.

"I couldn't say how. You know as well as I do that Templars are trained  _not_  to destroy expensive magical equipment."

"For this once, I'll make  _this_  expensive magical equipment an exception," Mystia said knowing that if any other templar had been there she would have been getting railed on in a heartbeat. Cullen seemed a touch surprised but then remembered that she now had a personal vendetta against Samson after having discovered the death of a formerly close friend of hers.

"Perhaps Dagna will have some ideas. She crafts the impossible every day." Cullen suggested as an alternative to whatever Mystia had stewing in her mind.

"Maybe." With that Mystia left his office and Cullen became more worried for her. The Anchor was taking its own toll on her, but with each new discovery they made on the Red Templars, she seemed to grow closer and closer to snapping at something or someone and it disquieted him greatly. When Mystia was next walking into his office, he was able to deliver some good news to her and that was able to quell the brewing storm within her a touch.

"No Red Lyrium, no allies, and soon Samson will have no armor. I hope." He started as she came to a stop before his desk.

"You hope?" She asked a touch confused.

"Dagna has started work on her red lyrium samples, but she needs more details on the armor." Cullen frowned. "We found orders in the mine. They mention Maddox, a name I did not expect to hear." At her confused gaze, he jumped right into the explanation and she grasped it quickly. "...I can have our men kick down some doors, Inquisitor. Samson's armor might lead us directly to his stronghold." Cullen watched as Mystia nodded to the idea. Later in the day though as Cullen was walking around, he caught sight of Mystia and Cassandra talking and barely caught their last few words.

"...I don't care." Mystia growled low. Cullen wondered what had Mystia so upset and then Cassandra spoke.

"Mystia, your relentless rage will get you killed."

"My rage has nothing to do with it. It will be this damn thing on my hand that will kill me." Mystia growled low.

"And if you let your rage take over what good will that do for you?" Cassandra asked calmly, she could feel Cullen watching them and knew that he was worried now.

"It..." Mystia sighed in defeat, which was completely new for her to do and was a new thing for Cullen to see her giving up so quickly. "I know your right Cassandra, but... I honestly feel completely helpless. My mother was at the conclave, Ellis _told_ me that she was there with me. Ivan and Oliver blame me for her death and it's hard for me to come to the terms that I was the only one to survive." Mystia closed her eyes as tears began to slide down her cheeks, she was truly in defeat and it pained Cullen to see her in such a state.

Cassandra's voice changed then. "I know they blame you, when your older brother was here he told me about it and I did try to convince him otherwise. But look at all the good you've done since that day."

"What good does it all do for me, if my family blames me for something that was out of my control?" Mystia said as she turned away from Cassandra to walk away, her back inadvertently turned to Cullen as well.

"Do you remember that song she used to sing to you when you were a child?" Cassandra's words had Mystia stopping for a moment. "Do you remember what she told you the words to the song mean?" Cassandra asked as Mystia frowned. "She might be gone, but you have to live your life as you know she would have wanted you to. Don't turn your back on those who care for you, ask for help. Stop hiding your emotions behind a guise of being alright, You're only human." Cassandra reminded Mystia as the younger woman's shoulders slumped.

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't even that. Sometimes I wish it had been me instead of my sister who had died that day in the fire so long ago..." Mystia said continuing to walk away. "I fail everyone I come to know at some point in time." Those were Mystia's last words for the moment as Cullen looked towards Cassandra who was shaking her head at Mystia's retreating back. Cassandra turned to Cullen and began to tell him what he had come to witness, but by the time Cassandra finished telling Cullen everything, Mystia was in her room collapsed face first onto her bed. She heard the sound of heavy footfall and the sound of armor and inwardly groaned making sure to bury her head further into a pillow as she recognized who was coming up the stairs.

"Mystia?" Cullen asked carefully as she refused to look up. "What's going on?" He questioned as she finally looked up from her pillow to stare blankly at her headboard.

"I'm sure you heard the majority of it, and what you didn't hear I'm sure Cassandra filled you in on," Mystia told him closing her eyes in refusal to look at him as he approached her bed and sat down on the edge.

"I did and yes she did." He was being gentle knowing that in this way she was not going to get him to give her the reaction she wanted. When she said nothing, he knew that she was not getting the reaction she wanted from him. "I want to hear from you though."

She growled low, a sign of her irritation rising, and finally, she looked at him, but it wasn't with her usual loving gaze, there was anger in her eyes that he had never known before. "I know Dorian told you that my older sister died but I'm sure he didn't tell you **_HOW_** she died." She looked away as she sat up, then stood and walked away from him. "The complete truth is that it's my fault that she died and that it is my fault that I was apart of the Order...." Then Mystia began her story, "My sister died when she was ten and I was six. She started to show the signs of being a mage and she knew that it would mean that she would be forced into the Circle." Mystia tried to keep herself from pacing. "Being so young at the time, she wasn't too sure of her own powers at first and tried to self-teach herself how to hide them. Sometimes she would wake me in the middle of the night to show me what she taught herself the day before and like the naive child I was, I encouraged her to continue doing so." Mystia walked over to her balcony away from Cullen which forced him to stand up and follow her. It was raining now and Mystia reached out to catch some of the falling water into the palm of her hand. "She kept doing so at my encouragement, but the plan backfired one night when Oliver walked in on our sister showing me some of the magic she could do. She and I were in the kitchen as she was playing with a small fireball, and our brother's sudden appearance and alarmed voice caused her to lose control for a moment and the fire landed on the wooden floor. Oliver grabbed me as I was closer to him and even though our sister screamed for help and as much as I fought against my older brother, he prevented me from going back to get her. Father and mother were able to get us out of the house in time for the Templars to come and end the magic fire with their abilities, but father eventually forced the truth from me about what I had been encouraging my sister to do." Mystia watched the rain continue to fall into the palm of her clawed gauntlet still ignoring Cullen, she had forgotten to take off her armor but then again she didn't care at that moment. "My father was ready..." She closed her eyes for a moment, "He was about ready to kill me, but it was at that moment the Knight-Commander who had arrived during the fire saved me from his wrath.

"He told my father that I should join the Order as what I had done he considered a knack for being able to find mages and my father gladly handed me over, happy to be rid of me. It wasn't until I was sixteen that Oliver suddenly decided to join the Order and the moment he did he told me about Ellis and Ivan, the twin boys who were our father's biggest disappointments as they were both mages and had been sent to the Circle as cast offs. Oliver had come to realize that what I had been doing when our sister was alive was to keep her around, but when he tried to apologize it was already too late to earn my forgiveness." She turned away from the balcony and walked over towards her own bookshelves were and looked at the box that was nestled neatly on the third shelf up. "I had already started to blame myself and had decided long before he joined that I would give myself wholly to the Order. I would do whatever was asked of me by the Knight-Commander, If he would have asked me to slay a mage right on the spot I would have done so without a second thought as, by the time I had joined him at the Circle, I had managed to be convinced in my blind rage at myself that mages were nothing more then cursed beings that I was charged with watching over as they couldn't control themselves if given free will and there were several occasions where I was always proven right. Then I met Ivan and Ellis, both who recognized me from Oliver's descriptions of me but whenever they attempted to speak with me I would give them the cold shoulder. The one time they finally did get to speak with me, I told them directly that I was nothing to them, I was not their sister but their watcher and my Knight-Commander was becoming more and more pleased with what I was becoming, with how I was acting and when his Knight-Captain went batshit crazy I was instantly moved to the spot at the urging of the other older Templars." Mystia closed her eyes her rage was rising again and this time it was directed at herself, Cullen kept quiet but he continued to listen as he stood shocked at what he was hearing. "I met Knight-Commander Meredith once and only once before Kirkwall fell. I was hunting a mage with a fellow Templar when we came across her, She instantly recognized the hatred lying deep within me and urged me to continue down that dark path with words that seemed to make complete sense to me, but she only did it after she had taken me aside to discuss a possible transfer from Ostwick to Kirkwall after the mage was caught. But when I returned to Ostwick I returned to the chaos of an abomination running rampant and slaying my brothers and sisters in the Order.

"Being how I was, I thought I could take it on alone, but before I knew it, the creature had me pinned to the ground and was about to deliver a killing blow when a mage saved me. Her name was Maria...." Mystia stopped talking as Cullen seemed to stop breathing. "As she and I fought side by side, she and I found ourselves talking and I felt the blind rage that was wrongfully pointed at the mages lift like a veil from around my eyes. I was nineteen when I realized that I was blaming the wrong people, that I was being a fool and once the fighting was over I admitted my wrongs in front of all the mages. I told them that I would not beg for forgiveness for I didn't deserve it, but they forgave me anyway and I began to work my hardest to make up for all those years I had treated them so cruelly. Oliver became the Knight-Commander because I refused the position and Ivan became the First Enchanter; Ivan never truly forgave me for what I had done but Ellis was willing to help me see a different path. Oliver worked with me day in and day out to show me that he had changed as well, and then in the most unexpected way possible, we achieved the one thing that all mages in other Circles wanted so badly. We had peace between the Mages and Templars, we were able to see Mages and Templars being together and able to live normal every day lives and the Circle is able to prosper still because of that." Mystia looked at her hands which began to uncurl. "But I still live with the consequences of how I was for so long."

Cullen spoke then, "How old are you?"

"Twenty-four. I am six years younger then you and I will say this, now that you know the truth you have this chance to walk away." She said with the smallest of hiccups in her voice. "I will understand and respect your decision." She saw how badly she was shaking, she felt her rage having been spent through her words and waited for him to do something. She heard motion behind her and closed her eyes, she figured that he was leaving and she accepted it, but then his hands wrapped around her smaller ones and she opened her eyes in complete surprise as her head lifted to meet his gaze, he stood in front of her and for the first time ever, she felt short as he stood a good foot taller than her.

"I am not going anywhere. You refuse to give up on me in my darkest time, and I will be damned if I give up on you in yours or give up on you at any time." His voice brought involuntary tears to her eyes and she found herself being pulled close as her body was being wracked with her sudden overwhelming emotions and for the first time since she was a little girl, she sobbed but never once did he leave or release her. "You don't need to hide your emotions anymore, Mystia. I am here for you and I always will be." He promised as she shivered with her tears that fell onto the fur around his shoulders. She didn't need him there as encouragement, she needed him there as a man she considered to be her lover, her best friend, and her protector. She needed  _him_ and he needed  _her_  in the same way. "I'm right here." He promised, holding her close as the moons began to peek out from behind the clouds bathing them both in their gentle light. When she stopped crying, he managed to lift her chin up and laid the sweetest of kisses on her lips and she just as willingly returned it.

****

Mystia wasn't entirely sure when she fell asleep, as all she remembered after the kiss she shared with Cullen was being curled up under his arm on the couch with both being content to listen to the fire crackling in the hearth. But now as she woke, she noted that she was on her bed wrapped up snuggly under her blankets with Cullen nowhere in sight, something in her was slightly disappointed but she remembered that they were still waiting for the right moment for anything to truly happen. Sighing, she slipped out of her bed to dress back into her armor which she had thrown off sometime before curling up close to the man who held her tender heart in his hands. Smiling to herself, she remembered how she had fallen asleep and made a mental note to let him run his hands through her hair as often as he liked when they spent time together with her curled up next to him on her couch. She looked over to her bedside table and began to brush the knots out of her hair, once that was done (at the same time she realized she was humming a song she hadn't heard in years) she put her hair into a ponytail and made to exit her room when she remembered one more thing she had to do. Sighing heavily, she walked over to her bookshelf with her box on it. She hated doing this to herself, **_hated_** the fact that she wanted to give up taking lyrium but could not do so so long as the Anchor existed on her hand. Picking up the box she carried it over to her desk but found herself with a sudden inability to even move her arms as she placed them on either side of the box. She found herself wondering why she had this sudden overwhelming unwillingness to move; inhaling a deep breath she closed her eyes and counted backward from ten, but that did nothing to help her sudden frozen nerves. It was only when Cullen's voice reached her did she realize that she could move again. "Are you alright?" He asked as she stood straight.

"I think so. I just had a sudden overwhelming feeling is all." She told him looking at the offending box she hadn't opened yet. Cullen watched her carefully but her gaze was kept on the box, he could see that she now had half a mind to find a secluded spot on the battlements and throw the thing over the edge, but he also knew that the promise he had made her give was giving her some major pause.

"Take it." He told her as she finally looked over at him. "When this is all over I swear I will help you when you go through the withdrawals." He gave his oath and she frowned but she caved, in the end, knowing that he would keep his word. He had always kept his word since the day they had met. He saw her hesitance and turned her head towards his and kissed her, "Take it." he encouraged gently and finally, her unwilling body caught up to her mind and he left her for the moment. When he heard the box being replaced on her shelf, he could feel the siren's song of the lyrium as it coursed through Mystia's body, but he kept to his resolve and smiled at her once she was near him.

"I hate that I have to continue to take it." She whispered as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I know, and I hate that you have to. I would much rather you give it up entirely but for now its safer this way." He told her quietly as she gave a slight shiver. He kissed her forehead and she almost,  _almost_ , purred but kept quiet. That was something she completely refused to do right now, but the temptation to was there.


	9. Eight

Cullen stood in his office waiting for Mystia to come see him. He had some news that she was very likely to enjoy as much as he would enjoy saying it, and the moment she entered he couldn't help the smirk that instantly plastered itself on his face, he didn't even give her half the chance to speak as he told her the news. "We have him, Inquisitor! We've found Samson's lair." He saw it then and knew he was correct in the assumption that she would enjoy it. "My duties usual keep me here, but for Samson? I'll make an exception."

"He still has that Red Lyrium armor," Mystia spoke up with a fearful spike hitting her voice as Cullen nodded in response.

"All the more reason for me to go." He said in a low tone, it was the tone of voice he often used when they were alone. "I would...sleep better, if I knew I would be at your side." He seemed to pacify her for the moment, but he could see that she was worried, then in his normal tone of voice, he spoke again. "We'll depart at your leave," he said as she nodded. She had to gather her companions, but first, she had to put on her armor as she was walking around in her "civilian" clothing, which wasn't unusual as it helped for the members of the Inquisition to see that she was a person just like them and it somehow made the Inquisition more united to see her dressed like a normal person. He watched as she left his office and went to grab his shield, his sword was almost always at his side and today was no exception. It was almost a comforting thing to do and he had noted that Mystia herself was always armed as well, if it wasn't her sword at her side then it was the knife he knew she kept in her boot or even the small dagger Leliana had given to Mystia for her birthday. At first Cullen had thought that he was the only one who had to have some kind of weapon on his person, but when Mystia had been caught off guard without sword or shield one day, he hadn't seen her draw her knife in less than a flicker and the creature that had caught them both off guard had been dead before the body realized it. She had always been one hell of a thrower, but she had managed to nail the rabid wolf right between the eyes without so much as glancing at the thing. They had been at the lake when the wolf had attacked and when Cullen had looked to her she had flashed him a smile and had simply told him "knife in my boot" and had gone over to take back the object that was wiped clean before she stuck it back into it's hidden sheath. He knew then that she was always armed in some form or another and as he walked out to meet with those who were going with her, he noted that Mystia was shivering slightly. It raised some red flags in his mind and he decided to discreetly keep an eye on her, but none of the others seemed to notice her sudden rounds of shivers and he wondered what was going on with her. When they arrived at where Samson's lair was, Mystia's shivering seemed to get slightly worse but still, the others did not notice. "This is it. The heart of Samson's command." Cullen said looking around.

"I don't see him anywhere, or hear him," Mystia said as Cullen figured out why she was shivering so badly, it was the fact that she was containing her pent-up energy.

"Nor I. Maker, tell me he hasn't fled..." Cullen growled low, realizing that her energy was now affecting him as well. His mind slipped back to the book he had read on wolves and realized that the energy of the alpha would often affect those around him or her. Mystia was the unchallenged Alpha female, and the rest of those present were her pack. Cullen wondered where he sat on the totem pole and figured that it was pretty high up. Then he noted the others seemed just as twitchy and knew that he was right. As they made their way towards the entrance to the main area, Mystia huffed out a small growl.

"Maker... I can sense the Red Lyrium all around." She commented as Cassandra spoke.

"It's calling to you isn't it?"

"I won't lie about that," Mystia told her as Cullen listened in. "Its song is just as sweet, if not sweeter then normal lyrium and if I didn't know the price needed to be paid for it or even what it does to people I would have probably given in long ago." Cullen shivered inwardly to what she outright admitted to. "It is really is no wonder to me why the Red Templars gave in so willingly." Now Mystia was shivering for a different reason, and Cullen wanted to take her away before she lost her resolve.

"How are you feeling Curly?" Varric called out capturing Cullen's attention, the use of the nickname of Curly was a good way to grab Cullen's attention but right now the man was focused on Mystia.

"I hear it's song as well, but it's not as loud for me," Cullen admitted as they all nodded, they all knew why it wasn't as loud for him anymore but as they reached the top of the steps they were climbing up, Mystia had to force herself to stop and shut her eyes. Her resolve was weakening by the second.

"Mystia fight it!" Cassandra ordered her, but the song was trying to drown out the Seeker. Mystia forced herself to stay still by sheer willpower alone but even that was starting to falter. Cassandra was still barking at her to fight and she was, but it was a losing battle that Mystia could barely win as she knew the closer she would get to the doors the less and less willpower she would have.

Then, strong arms wrapped around her and slowly she started feeling like herself again. The arms she realized, as she felt and heard the Red Lyrium's song become weaker, belonged to Cullen and he was holding her tightly to him. _"Mystia, listen to me."_ He whispered low enough to break the trance the Red Lyrium was trying to place over her. _"We just need to find Samson and then we can leave."_

_"What if I can't do this?"_ She whispered in response but now it was his turn to be the Alpha, to show that he was her equal.

_"You can."_ He turned the words she had spoken to him a few months ago on her and that snapped her out of the grasp of the Red Lyrium's song. She reached up with her left hand and grabbed his left arm which was resting on his right arm across her chest.

_"I will try..."_ She whispered, _"But I need you near me."_ She told him as he smiled gently.

_"I'm not leaving you. I will be right beside you."_  He promised as she lifted her head and looked towards the door.

"Let's go." She said as he released her, but like he promised he was right next to her. Showing that he was her equal. As soon as they were inside, she looked around with brows furrowed. "This place is already half destroyed." The song was starting to come back, but Cullen's hand on her arm had it retreating again.

"Samson must have ordered his Templars to sack his headquarters so we couldn't." Cullen sounded a bit peeved and Mystia was just the slightest bit upset.

"Sorry, Curly. Someone tipped off Samson you were coming."

"I think your right. Still, we've dealt Samson a blow." Then Cullen looked to Mystia as her gaze raked over the Red Lyrium. He knew it was taking a bit of strength on his part to ignore the stuff, but it was taking everything out of Mystia to attempt to drown out the deadly allure of it. Then the real nightmare came as they entered a room filled to the brim with Red Lyrium. It was testing him but his resolve to keep from answering was overpowering, as now he was fighting to keep Mystia from falling to it. Though for her it was no longer a song, it was a demanding presence that was reaching its deadly talons out towards her. They found the tranquil mage named Maddox, spoke with him as best they could and Mystia gave Cullen a look that spoke volumes. They could do something for the mage for his death, that much was true and as they explored around they soon happened upon a letter for Cullen to which Cullen scoffed at.

"Mystia dear," Dorian frowned as Mystia looked towards him. "Cullen wasn't the only one he wrote too." She took a letter that Samson had written to her and she looked it over carefully.

"You'll never break free. A wild animal who was caged as a pup will always be bound to those that bound it in the first place." Mystia read out loud as her mind scrambled to figure out what he meant, then it hit her. He was talking about the age she had been when she had been forced into the Order and was basically calling her a domestic dog and that caused her metaphorical hackles to raise. Her mind tried to figure out where Samson could have learned about that time in her past, but the next line she read had the air growing cold as her rage suddenly spiked. She set the letter down as her rage began to blind her, and quicker then a flash of lightning, the loud thump of a knife being dug into wood had everyone looked to a rage wracked Mystia. Even Cullen seemed surprised at the sudden change in her mood but when he saw that she had a white-knuckled grip on her knife, he knew something had greatly upset her. She said nothing but released her grip on the knife and walked away.

"Uh oh," Varric said as Dorian frowned. "Samson keeps this up and he is probably going to be the first and only person our dear Inquisitor will order executed as the list against him continues to grow."

"Not just the list," Dorian carefully removed the knife from the paper, "But it seems her reasoning behind wanting to kill him is growing as well." He saw the two names that had given Mystia the sudden reaction she had just had. "Ellis and Virgil." Was all the Mage said as everyone froze in place.

"That's not good." Varric shivered.

Mystia, however, wanted to hit something or kill it (Mostly likely to kill as her rage was blinding her to normal reason at the moment), Samson had murdered Ellis and had successfully corrupted Virgil and just as the others came out to find her, Cullen called out to her as a "pack" of Red Templars came rushing her, but they soon found themselves slaughtered as she struck out at them still blinded by her rage. By the time the others reached her, she stood in the middle of bodies with Red Lyrium tainted blood slowly pooling around said bodies with some of it slipping towards her boots. She was shaking with her rage and her sword quivered in her hand as the blood dripped off the tip, her eyes were closed and Cullen had never once felt as afraid in his life then what he was in that moment as he watched her. her breathing was unnaturally steady but when her eyes opened she rushed forward as a lone Red Templar came racing towards them and they instantly recognized him as Virgil. But before anyone could react the fight that had been waiting to start was over and Mystia was standing away from the dying form of Virgil. "I'm sorry Virgil," She told him as the man gained some form of clarity in his dying moments.

"Don't...be..." Virgil managed as he watched her standing there. They could hear him struggling to breathe and knew that it wouldn't be long before he passed on. "I will soon...see Ellis again..." he managed as Mystia began to walk over to him. "Sis... will you...?"

"It's the least I can do for you." She told him as she positioned her sword over his heart. "When you see Ellis again, tell that crazy younger bastard that I will miss you both." Virgil managed a smile, as the now cloudy sky began to let its tears fall. No one was sure when the cloud cover had moved in, but as Mystia raised the hilt of the blade above her head, the thunder began to sound; when the blade came down in a swift motion, lightning arched across the darkened sky and the downpour began as she was kneeling after the tip of the sword pierced through armor and flesh killing Virgil on impact. "Rest peacefully Brother. Your journey in this existence is over. May the Maker welcome you to his side." her voice cracked at the words as tears began to slide down her cheeks, looking up at his empty eyes, Mystia reached over and closed the lids as the others were unable to move or say anything. Standing, Mystia stared down at Virgil's still form her tears still sliding down her cheeks,  _I can never have anything good remain in my life without someone or something taking it away from me it seems._ Then turning her head towards the horizon facing away from her four friends, she felt her jaws clench tight. _I will find you Samson and when I do I will_ SHOW _you who is the caged wild animal bound to chains and then I will destroy your master without remorse._ With that, some of her hair which had come loose from its binding waved gently in her face as a breeze came through.

"Inquisitor?" Cullen asked but Mystia seemed to ignore him for a moment.

"Let's find what will help us defeat Samson and go." She said almost monotoned as Cullen nodded.

"Yes Inquisitor," he said as they searched the area and building once more. When they found a set of tools, Dorian instantly recognized what they were and Cullen seemed to roll in a victorious feeling, though it was short-lived as he noticed Mystia was still not herself. But after they returned to Skyhold, Mystia made sure to give Dagna the tools then went to her room and after making sure to bathe and dress for bed, Mystia lay down and shut her eyes. But that proved to be one mistake she would regret as a nightmare started shortly after she was deep in sleep, which caused her to begin tossing and turning as her breathing became pants.

_Mystia was running, whether it was away from something or towards something she wasn't entirely sure, but whatever it was chasing her it was relentless and she didn't dare look back as she kept running. She saw someone way ahead of her and called out to them, "Please! Help me!" she called out but the person didn't seem able to hear her but as she tried to draw closer to the person she began to make out features and recognized the person as Cullen. "Cullen!" but still he didn't hear her even as she called out to him and when she finally reached him she realized why he hadn't responded. "No..." She began to back away "No...no...no!" She shouted again in disbelief as the sound of whatever had been chasing her returned as the image of Cullen disappeared. She ran as fast as she could as a dark whispery voice reached her ears while she ran away with tears in her wide eyes._

_"You will always fail. You failed your father and your brother Oliver. You let your sister die in the fire, you let Samson kill Ellis and you killed Virgil without a second thought or any remorse." the voice taunted her as she continued to run unsure of where she was going. "You will end up failing the Inquisition as their Inquisitor and Cullen will die for your mistakes, but not before he sees you for what you really are." the voice laughed at her as she shivered and felt herself trip and felt something begin grabbing her. "CULLEN!" She called out as she saw him reappear before her with a frown._

" _CULLEN!_ " Mystia sat bolt upright in bed, she was covered in sweat from head to toes and quickly looked around. "Not again." Mystia sighed heavily when nobody came at the screaming she had done. Mystia threw the covers off of her and stood up to wash the sweat from her hair, face and the back of her neck. Looking into the mirror that was attached to her dresser, she flinched at the sight she was greeted with, well in the dim light of the moons that could enter the room from her balcony doors. She looked terrible and she was sure that if she went to light some candles or the hearth she would look worse. Standing straight she walked over to her couch and lay across the cushions on her back while resting her head on her left arm as the other one rested on her stomach. She had one foot resting flat on the cushions, with knee up, while the other was stretched out on the couch; and for a while, she just lay there staring up at the dark ceiling lost in her thoughts. Sleep wanted to nag at her like an old nanny, yet her mind just would not silence her thoughts; she was unsure of how long she lay there, or of when she finally did return to sleep as when she next awoke it was to a kiss on her forehead from Cullen who was now kneeling next to the couch.

"Afternoon," he smiled as he watched her blink sleep away and watched her stretch.

"What time is it?" She asked as he chuckled.

"Around two in the afternoon." he watched her jolt up from laying down as she looked at him worriedly.

"Maker's Balls, Cullen! Why didn't you wake me sooner?!" She asked now worrying at her bottom lip. but he reached out and touched her cheek.

"I tried, but you were so deeply asleep that I couldn't bring myself to do so." He responded as she sighed out with a slight whine.

"Andraste's ass...I have so much I have to do today and now I have to go play catch up on it all..." She fell back onto her back with a sighed out huff, but Cullen chuckled as he brushed her hair out of her face.

"How would you feel if I said that I've already beaten you to all of it?" He smiled as she looked at him.

"I'd call you absolutely batshit crazy, there is no possible way you could have done  _everything_  I had written down for me to do today."

"If the Lyrium didn't scream Templar at me already, then knowing that you write down everything would have." he smiled as she frowned in unamusement.

"Old habits die hard." She couldn't help but return his smile as she leaned up onto her right elbow and found herself lost in his amber eyes. "You know, we are probably the most ass-backward couple out there?" She asked as he leaned forward with a chuckle.

"Good," he whispered capturing her lips with his. "Our lives aren't exactly normal so why should we be like others?" he asked as she yielded that to him.

"That's true and I don't mind being "not normal" one bit," she told him as they kissed again. "In fact, I like you for just the way you are." She told him as he pulled away with a light in his eyes.

"And I feel the same way about you," he told her, every day she amazed him in new and better ways; but last night had worried him, he had had a nightmare about her turning on everyone around her but when he had woken he had remembered that she would rather die then turn on those she called friends and family. "Mystia?"

"hmm?" her blue eyes turned to look into his and he felt his heart turn to complete mush.

He didn't want to worry her more then what she normally was but he had to tell her. "I..um...had a nightmare last night." He started as she reached out to rest the palm of her hand on his cheek.

"Cullen, I don't care what time of day or night it is. I am always willing to listen," She told him as he sighed and closed his eyes before turning and sitting on the carpet as she sat up and began to work out a knot where his shoulders met his neck. With a slight groan, he felt his shoulder's slump but began to tell her of his nightmare. "Well, you are right about one thing. I would rather die then turn against the Inquisition, my friends and you, especially you." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he lifted a hand to place it on her arms. "I care deeply about you and would never want to risk losing you." She nuzzled into his "mane" and he chuckled having been put in a better mood. "The Inquisition is my family, a highly odd and somewhat dysfunctional family, but it is my family no matter what," she told him quietly to calm his fear. "Every soldier, recruit, scout, civilian, everyone who makes up this Inquisition are members of my family and I protect what is  _mine_  and would give up my very life to ensure its survival." She informed him as she kissed his cheek. "but when it comes to you..." She started as he turned slightly to look at her. "You are  _MY_  mate,  _you_   _are_  the part of me I lost long ago. You are my Alpha Male and in some strange way  _you_  are my saving grace." She removed her arms from around him and soon sat on the ground with her butt on her heels as her knees rested on the carpet now underneath her. "You are the one person in all of Thedas that I will fight to return to, come the Fade, Demons, Red Templars, Corypheus, his dragon, or whatever throws itself in my path, I will return to you." She told him as he took her hands in his and raised her left hand to his mouth to kiss the palm, where the anchor remained as a constant reminder that she had a duty to fulfill every day, not a duty to herself but to the multitudes of people who were being affected by Corypheus and his Red Templars. He knew she was speaking the truth, she rarely if ever lied about her most inner feelings to him now when they were in private. She turned his head to face her and she kissed him with a passion so sweet and gentle, he could swear his heart did melt. "Now, my Alpha male. Shoo, so I can get dressed and get to work. I still have to make my rounds and see how everyone in Skyhold is doing." She told him, "then I will come visit you."

"Alright, I have some things we need to discuss anyway," he said before he left for her to get dressed. When she did visit him like she promised he was standing behind his desk and was looking towards her now, he could tell that she was wondering about what was going on and jumped into telling her. "The red lyrium deposits are being destroyed and we've cut the Red Templars down to the core. It's a pity Maddox thought his sacrifice was the only answer." then Cullen smiled. "but that leaves Samson with a severely curtailed army, and enchanted armor he can't maintain. You did it."

Mystia smiled back at him, "We both fought to make this happen. Don't sell yourself short." She told him as he realized she was being sincere.

"Well I- Thank you." He told her surprised at her words, "But my work's not done yet." he couldn't help but keep his smile. Something she was coming to enjoy seeing more often. "We're getting recruits by the hour. There's more than a few ex-templars among them," he told her as she raised her brows in surprise. She had known that the Mage-Templar war had displaced many Templars and Mages alike and silently she wondered if someone who had been a rather good friend of her's was among them, She would have to make sure to check in on all the new arrivals. "We've struck a blow and given people hope. This is a true victory." Cullen watched Mystia nod. but then Dagna came racing in.

"Inquisitor, I finished it! Are you talking? Sorry, have it anyhow." Dagna grinned as she handed over a red colored glowing rune. Mystia could sense the power behind it yet the power was trapped and unable to be used unless the thing it was made for was near.

"You mean this rune?" Mystia asked looking it over carefully.

"It's not just  _any_  rune. I made it with red lyrium and what's left of poor Maddox's tools," She told Mystia who watched her and listened carefully. "It acts on the median fissures of Lyrium to- It'll destroy Samson's armor. He'll be powerless." Mystia couldn't be more pleased upon hearing those words.

"We should render our enemies powerless at a stroke more often." Mystia looked back to the rune. She felt a spike of something in her, she wasn't crazy like most, but to have one asshole down and out of her way was better than having none down. Then Cullen spoke again and Mystia turned to him.

"Maddox covered Samson's tracks thoroughly. But wherever Samson's retreated, we'll find him." Cullen knew he would hunt Samson down to the ends of the earth, especially if it meant that Mystia would be in no more danger from red lyrium and that her family would be safe. "Your army stands ready, Inquisitor. For Samson, for Corypheus, for whatever you command." He told her as she nodded in understanding.

****

Once more Mystia lay on her couch in the same way she had the night before. The nightmare from the night before had come back like it had so many times before that, but this time it was worse as it had found her on her couch after she had woken from it on her bed.  _Why is this fucken thing haunting me?_  She closed her eyes in frustration, but soon sat up and looked out her balcony doors with her frustration present on her face. She growled low as she stood up and walked over to the door's leading to the balcony,  _It is always the same thing. Reminding me how I failed those I cared about deeply and telling me how I could possibly fail Cullen and the Inquisition. Why won't it leave me alone?_  She questioned as she felt her rage starting to grow. _I am the Inquisitor! I am the Alpha! I should be in control of these damn dreams!_  She growled lower than normal and had anyone actually been around they would have sworn they could have heard a dog or werewolf. Mystia closed her eyes but soon the sound of boots on the stairway had her opening her eyes and looking over in time to see Cullen coming up. "Cullen?" She questioned at him as he frowned.

"I was coming to check up on you." He told her as he finally realized that she was up and about. "Is everything okay?" he asked as she sighed and looked away.

"I wish I could say it was..." She admitted to him while refusing to look at him again as she leaned on the door frame.

"What's wrong?" he asked her concerned as she kept her gaze focused on the star-filled sky outside, but she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Where would I begin other than that for the past few months I've been having the same damn reoccurring dream-no, not a dream, a nightmare." At the word she said, he paused in his tracks.

"A nightmare?" He asked as she nodded, then she told him what she could of it.

"...But then it's always the same ending. I end up tripping and some kind of darkness closes around me..." She added on the part of where she would call out to him as he stood watching her being dragged away with a look in his eyes that frightened her greatly. She closed her eyes as he frowned.

"Maker. How long have you been having that haunt you?" He asked frightened for her.

She had to think about it, "Since we arrived at Skyhold." She told him as he realized that she was still not looking at him.

he walked over to her and sighed, "Mystia. Is there something your not telling me?" He asked as she frowned.

"That's just it. I have told you everything I know or can remember, but I feel as if I have forgotten something important." She said shaking her head. "Ever since I walked out of the Fade I feel as if I have forgotten something important that I should know." What Mystia couldn't have known was that Oliver was on his way back to tell her something before she could go to Adamant Fortress.

****

"Oliver?" Mystia asked standing in the war room with her advisors close by. Cullen was at her side and was tense.

"I know I said you wouldn't see me again but I had to come back." Oliver stood looking toward the ground.

"You've never been one to act like how you are right now Big brother. What is going on."

"It's father..."

"What about him?" Oliver didn't need to say anything more as he looked away, and Mystia understood. "When?" She asked as he shook his head.

"I'm not sure. Ivan and I were informed about a week ago. Where are Ellis and Virgil? They will want to know." Mystia sighed.

"A former Templar, turned general of Corypheus's Red Templar army killed Ellis sometime ago. As for Virgil, I had to...put him down as he was corrupted by the man named Samson, the so-called general of Corypheus's force."

"Samson?" Oliver asked as Mystia seemed confused.

"Yes..."

"That bloody bastard is still running around?"

"Do you know him?" Cullen asked as Oliver growled.

"Knew him. To say he and I were friends would be an understatement. Be careful when you do finally catch up to him, He plays dirty when fighting."

"Oh don't worry about that. I have a strong enough vendetta against him to put both him and Corypheus both six feet under."

"Now that scares me." Oliver frowned as he looked into his sister's eyes. "When you have a vendetta, that's when the person who it is against should run."


	10. Nine

Mystia walked along the battlements, the Siege of Adamant Fortress had gone better than expected, but Mystia was mentally kicking herself for allowing Hawke's Grey Warden contact, a man Mystia only knew as Stroud, to sacrifice himself to allow them safe passage out of the Fade. His death was greatly affecting Mystia has she had not wanted anyone to do so, but the man had not allowed her to pick between him and Hawke, Stroud had sacrificed himself anyways and Hawke had dragged Mystia through the rift, and with deepening sorrow Mystia had sealed the rift with Stroud still in the Fade. Hawke had been kind to Mystia during the whole time they were in the Fade and had also grown closer to her upon discovering her lost memories of why she had gone to the Conclave originally. What Mystia remembered her companions had seen as well and Hawke had been the only one to see that she was truly different kind of Templar, once they had exited the Fade and the rift had been sealed for good, Mystia had given the remaining Grey Wardens a choice. Either help the Inquisition as Allies and begin rebuilding or go to their main city and never return, but needless to say, the Grey Wardens had chosen option one and now that Mystia was back in Skyhold she had had a lot of time to think and it wasn't doing her any good as the moon began to rise in the sky. Hawke had quietly informed Cullen of what had happened in the Fade and for the moment, the Commander was giving Mystia some space to think.  _I had been asked by Oliver to go to the Conclave not to help mother but for the leader of the Order to make an example out of me for protecting two mages who had turned to Blood Magic to save my sorry hide from a pack of abominations and in turn I had protected them from the other Templars of Ostwick to include Oliver..._ Mystia stopped for a moment to watch the moon rise, She was more than sure Hawke was telling his mage lover of what he had witnessed but sighed heavily as her hair fell into her face, covering her left eye as she lowered her head.  _I would have taken the punishment without a second thought and now Cullen knows why I was there at the conclave. Will he still want to be with me knowing what he does now?_  She wondered as she looked in the direction of his office.  _Only one way to find out._  She told herself as she slipped into his office but the sight that met her had her heart thrilled to see how he was truly in his element. Leaning against a wall closet to the open door she had just entered, she felt her heart beating fast as he handed out orders.

"Rylen's men will monitor the situation." His words echoed back to her as she watched him with a gaze so soft that it would be hard to miss.

"Yes, Ser! We will begin preparations at once!" A soldier spoke as she acknowledged the command.

"In the meantime, we'll send soldier's to..." It was at that moment Cullen looked up from a board to see Mystia watching him with both fascination and something akin to love in her gaze, and his voice faltered slightly. "Assist with the relief effort." He kept his gaze on her, wondering what would happen if he were to take it off of her for just a moment. "That will be all."

"Ser." The soldiers around him saluted before leaving and Cullen was quick to close the door behind the last one. The other two doors were locked at this time of night, so he was doubtful anyone would disturb them.

"There's alway's something more, isn't there?" He questioned more to himself than to her, but she answered anyway.

"Wishing we were somewhere else?" She asked as he laughed a touch.

"I barely found time to get away before." He informed her standing straight and walking towards his desk. "This war won't last forever. When it started, I hadn't considered much beyond our survival. But things are different now..." He heard her slide off the wall to walk towards him, her stride was different tonight, almost cautious in a way and he could guess as of to why.

"What do you mean?" She asked as he looked at her.

"I find myself wondering what will happen after. When this is over, I won't want to move on...not from you." He raised his hand up to touch her gently on the cheek and found her willingly leaning her head into his hand, which had him looking at her with a gaze that spoke the words he dared not to say. When he pulled his hand away, he seemed flustered for a moment. "But I don't know what you- That is, if you, ah..." He was making a complete fool of himself and turned back towards his desk to hide the sudden blush overtaking his face.

Something in Mystia nudged her heart as if telling her that this was the time that both had been waiting for for so long. "Cullen," She said his name gently and it had him looking at her. "Do you really have to ask?" She questioned him as she slid to sit in front of him. Her hair was not in its usual ponytail, but the candlelit that danced in the ebony and sapphire cascade began to draw his attention directly to see how her eyes looked in this light and soon he was captured, completely and wholly within the shining blue color they were, and he didn't ever want to draw away from them.

"I suppose not." He replied to her question. "I-" She had to lean back a bit but her hand went a bit too far and a bottle fell to the ground, shattering upon impact. She looked from it then to him, to apologize, but he shook his head and with a swift motion of his hand he sent more bottles (along with what Mystia guessed was a tankard, some books he had yet to put back on their right shelves and papers that had once been stacked neatly) flying off the desk and soon she found herself laying down on his now vacant desk with him climbing on top of her as her hands wrapped themselves in his styled hair. His lips soon met hers and suddenly it was as if the embers of passion that had been lying dormant had been disturbed, and she could feel his need for her growing as quickly as hers was for him. Mystia had willingly chosen to ignore the physical need for another as she had focused solely on the duty she had been doing as a Templar and that had been enough for her, well that and she had always been too busy to feel the aching need to rid herself of her Maidenhood; she had not taken the vows. There had been other Templars who had been attracted to her for her physical beauty but would always find themselves ignored, Jakob had been the only one to really pay her any mind and she would entertain tiny flirts from him, but in the end, he too was ignored. But Cullen was stirring up her need and for once in her life, she caved into her need as he kissed her while they lay on the desk.

****

Mystia awoke and took a moment for her to realize where she was and why she was bare to the world. Blinking away sleep for the moment she looked behind her to see Cullen still deeply asleep and smiled; it was still dark out and would be for some hours still, but she really didn't feel like moving and knew that she wouldn't the moment Cullen wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. "How long have you been awake?" She asked him as he looked at her.

"I woke up a few moments before you did." He explained as she snuggled closer to him. "What woke you?" he asked nuzzling her neck.

"I'm not sure," she responded as she nipped at his throat causing him to groan. She found herself on her back with him over her as their eyes met, his lips met hers and the fires of passion were stroked again. "Are you sure you can handle another go?" She asked as he chuckled.

"I would ask you the same thing." He told her as he sealed her lips again. "I didn't hurt you earlier did I?" he asked worriedly as he went to lay on his back, but then she straddled him and he felt how close he was to sliding into her again.

"Cullen, until this night, I was pure and untouched. I never took the other vows when I officially became a Templar. I never thought once of doing anything like this with anyone as I was always too busy focused on my duties as a Knight-Captain to even think on something like this." She whispered as she kissed the scar on his lip. To be so intimate with him, to be laid bare and tell him the truth, was something she could have never imagined doing. "You are the first and only person to stir my feelings, my emotions, for another person. Others have tried and all of them failed, but you are the first and only one who has been successful in capturing the most elusive Templar out there." She informed him as he smiled.

"Was that what they called you?" he asked as she chuckled quietly.

"I had many names given to me by my former brothers and sisters in the Order. The "Elusive Templar" title was just one of the many." She kissed him on the lips and moved to his jaw, each kiss forcing him to draw in a breath and exhale it in the way that told her he was becoming aroused again. "Though I guess I no longer hold it after this night." She told him adjusting herself just enough to allow him access to her core. He noted this and placed his hands on her hips as he slipped into her again.

"No you don't," he told her, "Because now you are mine." He said as he managed to flip them over without removing himself from her. Their act of love continued on for a while longer, but when Mystia next awoke. She saw that the sun was starting to peek over the horizon and inwardly groaned. Looking over to Cullen, she saw that he was completely passed out and shaking her head she got up to find her scattered clothes, which she reluctantly put on. She was forced to sit on the bed to put on her boots but just as she was finishing lacing up her left boot, she heard motion behind her and heard Cullen starting to pant. She was quick to turn to him resting her leg on the bed with her foot hanging off a touch. "No." He started panting heavily as she wanted to reach out to him, but she knew that anyone in the throes of a nightmare should be allowed to wake up by themselves and given a few moments to adjust to where they actually were. he said a few more things and it worried her, but soon his eyes opened and she watched him carefully; he looked around and as his senses came to him he spotted her and he knew that it had been a nightmare.

"Bad dream?" She asked worriedly as he leaned back into the pillows.

"They always are. Without Lyrium, they're worse." He informed her as he came to remember that she needed to take her daily dosage soon. He looked at her and managed to sit up enough to lean on his elbow. "I didn't mean to worry you." He told her as she gave him a gentle smile, he touched her cheek then pulled away as she spoke again.

"You can let me worry about you a little." She told him as he gave a quiet laugh.

"Alright," he said as she rested her forehead on his. "You are...I have never felt anything like this." He admitted before she pulled away after giving him a kiss.

"I love you. You know that right?" She asked as his eyes lit up.

"I love you, too," he told her in response as they kissed again. But soon he found himself laying back down as she went to stand up and leave. When she walked over to his ladder, she slid down and made her way to her room where she was soon preparing her usual amount of Lyrium. After ensuring to take it in full, she was just putting the box away when she heard someone come racing up the stairs.

"Inquisitor! Look out!" Mystia turned to see her personal assistant completely out of breath but the man rushed forward as someone leaped out of the shadows towards her, but instead of impaling her with his weapons, he impaled the man who had leapt between them and Mystia was quick to call out, which alerted Cullen who was walking towards the war room. When Cullen, Josephine, Leliana, and Cassandra made it to Mystia's room. They saw Mystia in a power struggle with the would-be assassin as she held the man's wrists; she was struggling as she held his wrists to prevent his knives from being dug into her and was snarling at the man, who took notice of the others arriving. The assassin leaped away from Mystia and watched as the only other two armed people drew the weapons. Looking to the open balcony doors the man tried to make a break for it but Mystia was ten times quicker and grabbing her shield she slammed into the assassin and disoriented him as well as disarmed him as his back hit the stone wall. he went to reach for a dagger but found Mystia's own dagger pressed close enough against his throat to leave a tiny cut in the skin.

"If you value your pitiful life," Mystia growled low. "I wouldn't do what you are thinking of." She told him as Cullen called for two soldiers. The man stared her down but her icy gaze had him shivering in fear as her dagger bit a shade deeper into his soft flesh. "Now before the Soldiers get here, tell me why you thought that attacking me would be a smart idea." She growled dangerously as Cullen and Cassandra stood on either side of her with Josephine and Leliana standing back a bit.

"Fuck you bitch." he spit at her in a hiss as her eyes narrowed. Mystia was outright ready to slaughter the man but Leliana's voice halted her from doing so.

"If I may Inquisitor," Leliana smiled as Mystia kept her gaze on the man. "Instead of bloodying your dagger, have him sent to me, I will make sure to get information from him." Leliana offered as Mystia thought it over.

"Very well," Mystia said as the soldiers who had arrived took the man and disarmed him and made sure to check him over to ensure he had nothing to kill himself with. "Do what you can with him, Leliana." Mystia sheathed her dagger and backed up a step. She knew that Leliana had offered what she had as repayment for the day she had prevented Leliana from killing a Sister of the Chantry while they had been on a personal quest of Leliana's in Valence. The Sister, of course, had been extremely grateful but had been surprised to hear that Mystia was a former Templar. Mystia looked to Leliana who nodded as a shared look passed between them, which Cullen noted and wondered about but kept quiet. As everyone but him and Mystia left the room; closing her eyes, Mystia could guess as of too why the assassin had come but choose to not say anything until she had the answer. Walking towards the Balcony, Mystia heard Cullen speak up.

"Are you...?" He watched her walk to the doors leading out onto the Balcony and stopped in the doorway.

"I'll be fine. I have my suspicions that I know why he came here." She said looking at the clouds. "But I will wait until Leliana has the answer." She told him standing there in the doorway. Cullen wanted to approach her but decided against it as she walked over to the former scout turned assistant who had been killed in her place. Leaning down she reached up and closed his dulled eyes, "Maker watch you on this new journey." She said to the man. "Commander," She said as some more soldiers appeared to take away the body. "Find out where his family lives. I have a letter to write." She told Cullen as he nodded.

"Of course Inquisitor." He said watching her as she stood up and he left her with his heart heavy with worry. Mystia walked over to her desk and began to write to the dead man's family, she wrote in how he had saved her from an attempted assassination and put in that she knew there was nothing she could send or give them that could replace his life and so offered her personal assistance should the need ever arise. Sealing the letter she looked outside once more to see it starting to snow.

"Inquisitor," A scout said as she looked at the woman. "The Commander asked me to give this to you. It has the information about where Marcel's family lives and he asked me to tell you that he has some information regarding a matter that you requested some time ago."

"Thank you. Inform the Commander that I will see him this evening to discuss it. Josephine will be expecting me this afternoon to talk about more things having to deal with Nobles and I doubt he would want to attend that." Mystia told the scout who smiled at the thought of Cullen sitting in on Josephine's "talks" with Mystia.

"I will inform him of when you will be able to see him and of your meeting with Lady Montilyet." The scout nodded as she left. Mystia could just imagine the look on Cullen's face when he heard that and it brought a smile to her face. Looking the information over, Mystia nodded and saw a raven sitting on one of the three perches in her room for her owl and clicked her tongue to grab its attention. Tying the letter to the bird's leg she released it and frowned as another scout came in.

"Inquisitor!" He said as she turned to him. "The Advisors need you in the war room immediately. There is trouble with the lyrium mines." Was all the scout said as she nodded. He left while she threw on her armor and with her shield on her back and sword strapped to her hip she walked down to the war room where she was met with frowns. All three filled her in on what they heard and she looked at the place marker. "Cullen, send your best to secure the Storm Coast. Leliana, send a few spies ahead to check how bad it is. Once the coast is clear I will head over and check out this new fissure and check on the Lyrium mines personally." Mystia said as both nodded. Once the sudden meeting was over, Mystia walked out of the room to leave the three to bicker among themselves but she went straight to the chapel where a statue of Andraste was. She nodded to several templars who stood guard and waved them out. "Take a break, I want to be alone." She ordered them as they nodded and left. Once the door was closed behind the last one, Mystia looked at the statue for a moment and then kneeled to say the prayer that was familiar to all Templars, no matter their status. She did not hear the door open behind her nor did she hear Cullen enter, but then again once he spotted her he stopped and listened as she recited the familiar words. She had heard him stop, however, but continued on until she came to the end. After a silent pause with a prayer for him, Mystia stood up and spoke. "I know you're there Cullen." She said as he began to move towards her.

"I didn't know you came here."

"I made it a point to stop today. My thoughts today have been disquieted." Mystia informed him as she closed her eyes as he stopped at her side. "We have lost so many people since the damned war started and with each passing day, those deaths weigh heavily on my heart and mind."

"We all pay a heavy price to see all of Thedas kept safe," Cullen told her as she frowned.

"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier. It doesn't make this path that I am on any better either." She looked at the Anchor and glared. "Somedays I wish I hadn't been the one to survive what happened at the conclave. That the Order had given me the "punishment" they said I deserved the night before everything went to chaos."

Cullen watched her as his brows came together, he was now greatly upset at her words but he was not yet angry. "A punishment you did not deserve." He corrected her as she lowered her hand while turning to him. "Hawke told me. They were going to execute you for defending those who came to your defense when you and they were attacked. Death is not a punishment you deserved for being who you are."

"Maybe not for that," Mystia said turning away from him. "But after everything I did, the mages I was ordered to kill in cold blood because they ran away from a Circle that was unjust, the brothers I had slain while defending the two mages, I know for a fact I deserved a worse fate than death for those things alone. Maker knows that the only reason I survived was because I happened to walk in on Corypheus about to kill the Divine. I've always had some luck but that day..." Mystia stood with her back to him, "That day was sheer dumb luck." She said as he was quick to reach out to her and grab her arm before she could walk away.

"Mystia listen to me!" Cullen said rather forcefully as she turned halfway to face him. "Don't think like that!" He told her, not realizing that his grip was tightening.

"Cullen..." She said feeling him grab both of her upper arms, rather forcefully.

"Mystia, you survived that day and now you are doing great things for all of Thedas. Don't let those types of thoughts ruin all of it." He growled low, his grip tightening on her arms.

"CULLEN, YOUR GRIP!" She snapped at him causing him to release her with an apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry." He said as she looked away, "I..."

"Don't Cullen." She told him, "I know you didn't mean to. You probably didn't realize you were doing it."

"Mystia, I-"

"Just don't. I may not be able to change the past; what I do know is that I should have died with everyone else at the conclave, but I didn't. I can't claim to know why I lived, maybe it was because of the Anchor, or maybe it was because of the Maker. I don't know. All I do know is that I that I am stuck with this," She held up her hand with the Anchor on it. "Wretched thing on my hand and that it will possibly kill my sorry ass one day and the day it does, I will welcome my death openly. I shouldn't be alive but I am." With that Mystia turned away and left the area leaving Cullen shaking with silent rage directed at her.


	11. Ten

Mystia looked around with surprise, "Maker's breath...look at all this lyrium." She said in disbelief. "I thought the siren's song of the Red Lyrium was bad, but this..."

"Are you one of those Templars?" an Orzammar dwarf by the name of Valta asked as Mystia nodded.

"I was a Templar, but due to this thing on my hand, I have to continue taking Lyrium so I guess in a way I can continue to be considered a Templar on top of the fact that I spent my life in the Order," Mystia informed her. "I know many would describe pure lyrium as having a hum, but to me, it's like a gentle song, while the Red Lyrium has a siren song that promises great power with a terrible cost."

"What do you hear with this lyrium?" Valta asked as Mystia listened.

"It's...I don't know... I've never handled raw lyrium, only lyrium that was given to me by the chantry." Mystia explained as they went further in. "Maker...No one would ever believe me if I said anything about this." Mystia frowned heavily. "I'm not sure if I should say this but Varric?"

"Yes?"

"I am glad you came along."

"So am I. But I still hate the deep roads." He commented as Cassandra groaned. They continued on for the rest of the time and came to an area that was beyond the words of physically impossible.

"Well, shit," Mystia commented as they looked over the area. However, once everything was said and done, Mystia returned to Skyhold with more questions than answers all of which buzzed in her mind like angry hornets. But as she walked around she happened to come across Varric by pure chance and saw him smiling.

"There you are!" he smiled as she wondered what had him smiling so big. "I've been looking all over for you. You're just in time. We almost had to start without you." Varric told her as she remembered what she had promised him a week before entering the deep roads.

"We couldn't have that, could we?" She smiled as she began to follow him to see that almost every one of her friends were there, except Leliana and Solas, and who could name where Sera was at. She did see that Cullen was there, along with Josephine and knew that if Josephine was there this would be a truly fun night.

"I found her, Ruffles! Deal her in!" Varric said as Mystia walked over to sit beside Josephine who was smiling.

"I do hope I recall the rules. It's been ages since I've played a game of Wicked Grace." Josephine watched Mystia sit next to her and smiled. Between Mystia and Josephine, it wouldn't be a surprise if someone left broke. "Didn't you used to play it as well Mystia?"

"Every chance I had and I was unbeatable among the Templars in Ostwick." It was not above Mystia to cheat every once in a while if she knew that others would, and she could figure that Varric, Bull, and Josephine were the three to beat.  _And all three will try some dirty tricks but I have a few tricks of my own._

"Well then, this will be a legendary game," Varric commented as Mystia nodded in agreement. There was some small banter before Cullen spoke.

"You seem to have enough people. I have a thousand things to do." He said sitting straight but Dorian spoke up.

"Losing money can be both relaxing and habit forming. Give it a try." Dorian encouraged as Varric smiled in agreement.

"Curly, if any man in history needed a hobby, it's you." Varric pointed out as Mystia silently agreed. Eventually, the game began with laughter abound as they taunted, teased and joked around with each other, then the stories began and Cullen was finishing up his as Mystia could just imagine what happened.

"...The poor recruit ran out into the dining hall in nothing but his knickers. And this...profound silence fell over the hall as seventy mages and thirty Templars all turned to stare at once. Then a slow round of applause began. And spread until every soul was on their feet. A standing ovation."

"What did he do?" Josephine asked as Mystia sat listening while shaking her head.

"Saluted. Turned on his heel. And marched out like he was in full armor." Cullen smiled as Mystia took a drink as everyone laughed about it, but whatever Bull said Mystia missed it while lost in thought.

"That's how you know it's true. I could never put that in a book. Too unlikely." then Varric turned to Mystia. "What about you?" He asked as Mystia smiled.

"I think it's our professional storyteller's turn to tell one." Mystia smiled sweetly as if challenging him.

"I think I can manage that. Did I ever tell you about the time we broke into Chateau Haine?" Varric smiled wickedly in response. "It started, as most capers do, with a trap..." Varric launched into the story and with each part, Mystia knew that there was no story that she could tell that would outdo it. "...And then Hawke looks up and says, "Looks like the Duke...has fallen from grace"."

"That's how Duke Prosper died? You know, that's almost perfect for him." Josephine nodded to herself as Mystia kept quiet with a small smile. They returned to the game and Josephine won, again. "And the dealer takes everything! I win again."

But Cullen, it seemed, had a wild hare up his ass and decided to challenge Josephine. "Deal again. I've figured out your tells, Lady Ambassador."

_"Oh, this is going to be good,"_ Mystia commented more to herself than to the table.

"Commander! Everyone knows that a Lady has no tells." Josephine mocked offense and Mystia glanced a Varric.

"Then let's see if your good fortune lasts one more round," he smirked as Mystia shook her head, but she did plan on sticking around.

"I am not planning on losing any more coin to Josephine. But I truly have to see this." Something told Mystia that she would not regret this decision and she was glad she stuck around because by the end she was trying so damn hard to contain her laughter it was hurting her ribs.

"Don't say a word, dwarf," Cullen growled as Mystia hid her mouth behind her hands while biting her cheek.

Varric laughed as he spoke, "I tried to warn you, Curly."

"Never bet against an Antivan, Commander." Josephine grinned as she looked at Mystia.

As everyone began to file out of the room, Mystia looked at Cullen with a raised brow as if asking him if he had learned his lesson, but eventually she stood and went to go speak with Varric as Cullen scurried away bared to the world,  _it wasn't a walk of shame it was a run of shame_. "I'm glad you decided to join us tonight." Varric started up as Cullen continued to scurry away. "It's too easy to mistake you for the Inquisitor." He said as Mystia smiled.

"I can say that I enjoyed this. This was probably the most entertaining game I've had in my life." Mystia smiled in response while thinking of her naked Commander blushing a red to rival a radish.

"See? That's what I mean. It's easy to forget you're not just an icon or symbol, like those statues of Andraste holding bowls of fire. At least it is for me." he covered quickly as she understood his meaning. "You up for another game when this is all over, Inquisitor?"

"Every time I play, I increase the odds of winding up like Cullen." She smiled.

"You're never more alive then when you're about to lose your pants, my friend." Varric chuckled in response. But when Mystia returned to her room, she was just sitting down from getting redressed after a much-needed bath, with a well-loved book in hand and was reading it when Cullen came to find her.

"I am never playing cards again!" Cullen said as she looked over towards him. "I still can't find my- it doesn't matter." He said as she smiled. "I don't know how Varric talked me into that." Mystia shook her head as he sat next to her.

"That's too bad." She commented putting a place marker on the page that she was on before closing the book. "Watching you lose made me want to play more often." She smiled as he frowned.

"I do not need help embarrassing myself in front of you." He informed her as she looked at him; since they had both "sucked it up" and apologized to each other for what happened in the chapel of where the statue of Andraste was, Mystia made it a point to try and avoid arguments.

"You were blushing. It was adorable." She smirked as he huffed out a breath.

"Maker's breath." he huffed out as Mystia, for the first time he could remember, giggled.

*****

Mystia lay on her side under the covers on her bed. Cullen had gone back to his office to finish up somethings so that left her alone in their now shared room. Since the attempted assassination on her life, he refused to let her sleep alone and so after a good hour of discussion they had made sure to move his personal things to her room and now she could honestly say that some part of her was completely relieved and felt protected with him around. Falling asleep, Mystia began to dream something unusual for her, and somehow she heard her mother's voice speaking to her.  _"My child, for so long you have been alone. But now you need not fear the coming darkness. Stay true to yourself, keep faith in your heart and you will weather the coming storm. I love you, my daughter, always remember that."_  Mystia opened her eyes and sat up to look around. Cullen had not yet returned, but as she looked towards the balcony she frowned.

Laying back down, Mystia tucked an arm under a pillow below her head and closed her eyes. A year had come and gone so quickly that Mystia had little time to mourn the loss of her mother or those who had been lost in Haven during the Conclave and even those who had died when Haven had been attacked. She heard the door open and sat up enough to see Cullen entering, "Your still up?" he asked gently as he began to remove his armor.

"I've been drifting in and out of sleep." She told him as he soon joined her in the bed, he pulled her close and she snuggled against him. The room was only lit up by the soft light of the moons and she preferred to keep it that way as they kissed, they didn't intend to take it further but as they kissed she felt Cullen running his hands along her sides and knew that it wouldn't take much to push them over the edge. Pulling away for a moment she began to trace the scars on his chest and felt him tracing the ages-old scar on her left arm. "Cullen?" She asked quietly as he looked at her.

"What is it?" he kissed the top of her head.

"I'm afraid." She admitted as he frowned. "I don't know what is coming and it frightens me." He hugged her close; it was there in his strong embrace, she felt safest, she felt as if she had finally found what was truly missing in her life. She felt whole and now wondered how he felt.

"I know," he whispered back to her. "Whenever you leave I fear that you may never come back, yet you always do." He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes. "I love you." His lips were tenderly upon hers as he felt his need for her rising.

"I love you too," Mystia said as they pulled away. Both knew that they weren't going to get any sleep for that night, and so as if in silent agreement, they kissed again as passions started rising. She felt his hands slowly begin to take off her shirt and she pulled away to allow him to slip it off of her. Once the shirt was removed, he pinned her under him and began to knead at her breasts which caused a slight moan to escape her. She found herself responding to him in kind and found herself running her hands over his chest and soon they found the edge of his pants, where she slipped one hand under them to begin to stroke his hard member. Growling in a way that reminded her of a lion, he began to kiss her throat and nipped at her several times. Soon enough he managed to slip her pants off of her and his fingers began taunting at the entrance to her core. With each teasing pass of his fingers, she became wetter and wetter with her need to feel him in her; she moaned his name as he pulled away to bare himself to her but still, he did not enter her, only continued to tease. " _Cullen._ " She whimpered as his amber eyes dilated, his fingers soon made the entrance into her and she shivered as he began to slip his fingers in and out of her core while his free hand continued to knead at her right breast. The motions made her nipples harden into peaks and he was quick to take her one between his teeth and began to suckle at it, his hand at her core still working it's magic as she continued to moan and almost writhe under him. " _Cullen, please._ " She began to beg him as he pulled away from her breast to seal her mouth shut. She knew that he was teasing her, he had done it countless times every night since they first came together that passionate night in what seemed to be so long ago. He pulled his mouth away from hers and began to kiss along her throat, his fingers entering and exiting faster as she began to feel herself growing wet enough to for to slide out of her, onto his hand and spill onto her thighs. Her hands tried, and failed, to find purchase on the fitted sheet since the covers had been thrown to the end of the bed but still, Cullen would not give her what she so desperately wanted from him. He continued to tease her until he was sure she was close to her coming climax, then with one last entrance of his fingers she happened to buck and he hit her in the spot that caused her to cry out his name in pleasure. She shivered with her orgasm and still was not satisfied.

He gave her a few moments to recover but soon found himself underneath her as she began to kiss him. She had always been submissive to him in the bedroom, so for her to show this sudden dominance he felt himself harden even more then what he already was, especially now that she was kissing, nipping and running her tongue over his throat, shoulders, chest, and sides. He felt her stroking him and somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized that she was now taking complete control and he surrendered to the torture she was giving him in return, he was surrendering to her, to his Alpha female, to his mate, and it brought him a rather odd kind of joy. She soon returned to his mouth, still stroking him, and he kissed her deeply. He wanted to take her right there, to ravage her until she was rendered unable to move, but his mind was unable to make his body move as she remained in control. Many people would have assumed Templars to be "pure" throughout their lives and for a while Mystia had been just that, Cullen though had spent more than his fair share of time with prostitutes in the "assigned relief" areas of Denerim and Kirkwall. But when it had come down to it, Cullen was rather pleased to know that he was Mystia's first and only when it came to the sense of losing her "purity". He had taken her twice on his desk after the doors were checked to make sure they were locked (which was where he had taken her Maidenhood from her forever), then he had somehow moved both himself and her up the ladder to his bedroom and had taken her once on the floor and three times on his bed. Since moving into her room to be with her permanently, he could not number the times he had taken her, but he was sure there were a few times that it had been on the floor of the fireplace, maybe a sudden time or two on the couch when their passion was almost too intense to ignore, he was pretty sure that he had even gone so far as to pin her against the walls when it was really unbearable, but most of the time they kept it on the bed. When he regained control he was damn near ready to spill himself onto her, but then he growled possessively and flipped her over and pinned her to the bed as he suddenly pushed himself into her, causing her to cry out. He waited for a moment as she adjusted to him, but it wasn't long before he was thrusting in and out of her as they kissed, nipped and kissed again. He wasn't sure when but soon her mouth found his shoulder and was nipping at it until he thrust harder and just as he hit that sweet spot that would normally make her cry his name, she ended up biting him hard and he roared out her name as he spilled forth into her waiting womb. He held himself above her as not to squish her beneath his weight, he sat up and Mystia followed him as he pulled her with. She straddled him as they kissed over and over, neither wanting this perfect unity to end.


	12. Eleven

Mystia sat in her chair with Cullenstanding below her while the one named Samson was being led towards them. Mystia had her lips pressed together so hard that if Cullen hadn't been near her he would have sworn that she didn't have a mouth at all. He could feel her anger rolling off of her like foreboding storm clouds as she watched Samson drawing closer and could tell it was taking everything in her to stay seated and not run him through. Cullen listed off Samson's crimes and let the man speak. But Samson smirked causing Cullen to bristle, but before Samson could antagonize Cullen further Mystia spoke up and her cold voice had the whispers in the room silenced. "I have no doubt that at one time my Commander would have claimed you as a good man Samson." Samson looked at Mystia confused. "But because of your recent transgressions whatever was left of that good man is no longer there." Mystia adjusted herself from sitting with a slight slouch and stood up. "Everything that has been listed against you is cause enough to execute you, but at this point, that would be a mercy you are not worthy of." Samson watched her, his snide smirk gone as he realized what was coming. "I have a more personal reason for wanting you executed but that would not make me sound of judgment." Mystia's eyes showed a wild and dangerous side of herself that Cullen had never glimpsed before, but from the shivers that he noted in the few Templars who had come here from Ostwick, they had seen it before and feared it. "I know that the Red Lyrium you have consumed will eventually kill you, but until then," she waved to several Templars who came from the shadows. "I hand you over to the Order. Maybe they show you the mercy you really don't deserve, mercy that I will not give you." The Templars who had come for him took him away while Mystia turned and left the area as the Judgement was over; she needed to hit something now or at the very least throw something and she knew there was no better place to take her set of twenty extremely sharp knives (an early birthday present from Virgil before his corruption when he had heard about her sword) then to her little private training area and throw them into the training dummy she had set up a few weeks prior. She wasn't exactly sure why but just the thought of Samson getting a mercy he did not deserve made her see red and this wasn't the normal "I'm pissed" red, no this was the forewarning type of red that happened before she would completely blackout. As she flung her knives through the air, she did not hear Cullen coming and barely missed him as he entered the room. "Fuck!" She saw him standing there looking at the knife that was now dug into the training dummy and looked towards her. "I'm so sorry Cullen!" She apologized as he looked at the dummy with a slight nod at it.

"I figured you weren't aiming at me." He said looking back at her. "Do you want to talk?" He asked crossing the room as she grabbed up some more knives and returned to making them sing through the air.

"It probably wouldn't help." Mystia huffed out in a bit of a snarl at the loud thump that followed her voice. She was too irritated to talk but Cullen didn't care.

"Mystia..." he said her name and watched as she looked at him just before sending another knife flying.

She really wasn't in the mood to speak but she gave a defeated sigh and looked towards him, "Part of me is just wondering what could have been done differently. The other part of me wishes I didn't care so much, but after losing two family members and a close friend to that man... mercy right now is not one of my strongest virtues." She grabbed another knife and flung it, hitting the training dummy square in the spot that made Cullen (really in truth it would make any man give a slight groan) flinch as he watched it land. Mystia had been trained and her skills had been honed by the Templar Order into a literal killing machine, but it was not aided by the fact that she had taken her training even further and was now someone to greatly fear, despite becoming more mild-mannered since the Anchor and Cullen had both appeared in her life. She was not passive by any means nor was she completely tamed but she had taken such great strides to calm her temper and Cullen was helping to encourage her more calm mind. "I've lost so much in this damn world since this war began a year ago after the destruction of the Conclave..."

Cullen listened to her words and was somewhat glad to see that she had decided against throwing more knives (her skill with those was starting to scare him a touch even though he had nothing to fear from her). "There has been a lot of good as well." He tried to console her but it didn't seem to be working the way he planned. "This war is almost over and once it is-!"

"I may not be here at the end." She told him point blank as she stared at the training dummy.

"What do you mean?" Cullen was utterly confused until she held up and looked at the palm of her hand.

"Each and every day that passes is a game of tug-of-war with this damn thing and my strength is starting to wane." She informed him as he looked to the Anchor. "I am no fool Cullen though it feels like it as I keep fighting day in and day out, but I've come to face the fact that the last battle I will have with Corypheus is possibly something I may not walk away from." She told him as he walked forward, "I don't want to die but I know a losing battle when I see one and I'll be damned if I don't take Corypheus with me when I go." She told him as Cullen wrapped his own hand into her hand with the Anchor. He could not, and did not, want to bear the thought of losing her to anything so soon. He was standing behind her and, wrapping his right arm around her he held her close.

"Don't say that," Cullen whispered to her. "Maker knows I won't be able to keep on going without you." He told her as she rested her right hand on his arm. Some of her hair had slipped from its ponytail confinement and now rested on her face as she hung her head a touch. Both were damn near tears, and Mystia couldn't help when a single tear began to slide from the corner of her eye.

"I don't want to lose you either. You are the one person in all of Thedas I care so much about." Mystia's voice had the sorrow as her tears began to slide down her cheeks. "I'm just so tired of everything good being stolen away from me." She felt her silent sob cause her body to shudder and felt him tighten his hold on her. "I just wish that for once I could keep the good." Her tears were falling from her chin onto his bracer but all he did was hold her, she felt him rest his head on the back of hers and silently she prayed that she would not lose him anytime soon, though, somewhere deep down within her mind and soul and heart, she knew that she would not lose him but that he would lose her. It was only a matter of time, time which did not seem to be on her side anymore and the thought of that alone frightened both.

*****

Mystia walked around the moonlight garden of Skyhold; since Cullen had seen her in her private training room her thoughts had become clearer but she was still shadowed by the feeling that one day she would not come back to this place, to her home, nor to him. She stopped at the little fountain near the gazebo that she had specifically requested be put there and now as she watched the bubbling water, that feeling grew closer and closer to sinking its sword length fangs and dagger-like talons into her very soul. "What troubles you, child?" A motherly voice asked as Mystia turned to see Mother Giselle come walking up, hands folded neatly as she did, and Mystia sighed. When Mystia's mind was too troubled she would often seek out the Mother and talk with the older and more wiser woman, she had done something like this often enough as a Templar still within the Order that she had associated seeing a Revered Mother with wisdom that would aid her greatly.

"Dark thoughts, Mother," Mystia responded as the Mother finished walking up to her. "But one, in particular, seems to haunt me wherever I go."

"Yes, it is those types of thoughts often bring us away from the joy we should be feeling." The Mother smiled in a gentle manner.

"This one seems to want to drag me away from all the joy in my life." Mystia looked away from Mother Giselle who nodded. "Part of me knows and accepts that maybe my fate lies with defeating Corypheus and closing the breach for good at the cost of my life, but I also am torn as I don't want to give up my life just yet, I've done so much that to die before seeing it come to full bloom is...It just feels wrong, though I know the price I may have to pay." Mystia hung her head as the Revered Mother listened. Mystia listened as the Revered Mother spoke again and looked to the elder woman. "But what if it's not enough?"

"The Maker's choice is his own. We cannot claim to know what path he has picked for us as individuals, Maybe you were chosen to remain alive for this very purpose so that you could redeem yourself in his eyes from the harm you have done before." Giselle told Mystia as the younger woman looked towards the ground.

"Maybe...It's just so hard. I have done so much and I fell in love with someone who treats me like I'm an actual person, that to have this dark shadow clinging to me..." Mystia frowned with tears in her eyes.

"The Commander is a good man and loves you just as much as you do him. You both have walked a hard path and have come to see that life is better if things are left in the past. You both fight for a cause that allows you to see that things can be made better when working towards a common goal." Mother Giselle smiled gently again.

"I know. I just don't want to leave him alone. To know his past it... All I want is to see is for him to be happy and to know that he never needs to worry about his past again." Mystia told the Mother as the spoke of man came walking up to come find Mystia. Cullen stopped to listen to the two and as he did he felt his heart flutter in both fear and admiration towards Mystia. "Cullen has had nothing but pain, and I try to take all that away when I'm around him, but if I don't return from the last battle with Corypheus. It may break his heart." Mystia looked away from the Revered Mother and Cullen just wanted to embrace the love of his life but kept still in the shadows to watch and listen. "I was blinded by rage in my childhood and teenage years. So much so that I could not see what I was doing was wrong and when I finally did wake my sad ass up to the reality around me it was like being blindsided by an unexpected blizzard."

"Yet?" Mother Giselle asked as Mystia sighed.

"Yet there are still days where I wonder why he chooses me. Why he cares so deeply for a woman as shattered as I am?"

"Maybe you should ask him? Sometimes the answers we seek rest with the person we least expect them too." With that, Mother Giselle walked away leaving Mystia watching after her.

"Not like I ever could..." Mystia frowned looking Skyward. It wasn't because she didn't want to know the answer, it was because Mystia was afraid of the answer. She loved and adored Cullen more then was probably safe for her sanity, yet as she stood watching the stars pass slowly overhead, some tiny part of her wondered what would happen if she did survive the coming last fight. Would she be able to move on with her life and marry Cullen should that day ever come? As she thought the question over in her mind, she felt his arms wrap around her and found herself leaning into his broad chest. He was not wearing his armor and that partially made her wonder why, but then again she wasn't wearing her armor yet she was always armed and still very dangerous without it.

"Everything alright?" His voice was gentle, calming even as he held her.

"It's better now. Just had to clear my thoughts." She told him as he huffed out a chuckle.

"Seems we all need that now." He brushed her hair from the back of her neck and kissed the spot where it met her spine, causing her to shiver. "Come to bed?" He asked his voice growing husky with his need as she managed to turn and look at him.

"You really are the definition of a good little Chantry boy gone bad." She teased him with a smile as he laughed.

"I think the same of you having been a good girl going bad holds true as well." He taunted her as she mocked shock.

"I am still a good girl!" She responded as he lowered his head a touch. He could sense the challenge in her voice and laughed low.

"Well, we will just have to see about fixing that won't we?" He sealed her lips with his and then proceeded on scooping her up in his arms and he carried her to their room, where they commenced on "fixing" her situation of being a good girl. When Mystia awoke the next morning, she found herself feeling oddly off and wasn't entirely sure why or what the cause of it was and so decided to dismiss it as the stress starting to get to her. As she and Cullen prepared for the day with little kisses here and there, Mystia looked to the Lyrium box that she had just replaced onto its shelf as a thought struck her.

Soon she would be able to stop taking it all together but as she thought that another thought struck her and suddenly her heart stopped but one swift glance at her mess of a desk calmed her fears.  _I can't be because I am continuously drinking that morning and night. But could it be possible...?_ Mystia frowned for a moment, she wasn't completely sure but she doubted it to be possible as both she and Cullen had been taking extra measures to ensure that nothing would come of their nightly rituals.

"Mystia?" Cullen's voice echoed over to her as she snapped back into reality. "What's wrong?"

"It's..." Mystia frowned as she looked to the tea that sat steaming on her desk (which at this point in time she was still amazed that Cullen hadn't gone crazy over and the fact that he hadn't tried to straighten yet was one reason it was still a mess) "I know you have a better memory then I do at times but something feels off." She frowned as his gaze followed her to the cup and suddenly his mind froze.

"You don't think?" He asked as she frowned.

"I don't know and its too soon to tell." She looked at him as he frowned. "But a thought just struck me. If I am, what is the lyrium I am taking going to do to...?"

"I don't know but until we can tell for sure you have to continue with it." Cullen sighed. At the thought of Mystia possibly carrying his child within her, he knew it would be ten times harder to watch her leave, especially when she would be throwing herself into danger every day for the next week. "I'll see you down at the stables." He told her as he kissed her forehead and walked out of their room to go speak with the one man he was glad she was taking with her this time. "Bull!" He called out as the burly Qunari looked his way. "Can we speak?" He asked as Bull nodded and walked towards him after dismissing Krem.

"Yeah?" Bull asked. When Cullen told him his thoughts and the worry he was having Bull smiled in a reassuring way. "I'll keep an eye on the Boss. If she is, then I will write to you while keeping her in my sight. She is my girl after all." Bull placed his hand on Cullen's shoulder.

"That makes me feel a little better." Cullen smiled as he and Bull talked all the way to the stables about possible names depending on the baby's gender. Once they reached the stables Cullen waited for Mystia who came walking up dressed in her armor. "I don't like the thought of you going away like this."

"I know, but I will come back and I promise no dragons this time." She told him as he chuckled at that. She was now labeled as the greatest dragon hunter of all Thedas and was glad to hold that title proudly.

"Not that I could stop you even if you did."

"No, but I don't want to end up being the reason behind a lecture when I return." She laughed as she thought back to the day Cullen had started to lecture her in Haven and he groaned.

"You're never going to let that one go are you?"

"You should know that answer by now." Mystia chuckled as he shook his head but he couldn't help the laugh that came from him.

"Be safe." He said as she looked up at him and kissed him. He watched as she hopped onto her horse (a beautiful and very well mannered Ferelden Forder mare he had picked out for her a month into their relationship without her realizing it until after he had brought her down to the stables) and he noted how the mare sensed something different with her rider before the horse and Mystia left with her three companions. His heart and thoughts went with her and he could only pray for her safe return.


	13. Twelve

Mystia scratched at an itch on her left arm. "Fucken mosquitoes!" She growled as she swatted at one of the tiny bloodsuckers, flattening the annoying insect under her hand. She knew that this was a losing battle as they were surrounded by a swarm of the things buzzing around them constantly. Thanks to Dorian, the group received some respite at times but it never lasted long as the buggers were persistent. Mystia had written to Cullen and the man could have only imagined the agony that having such annoying things bothering her and had promised to have a bath and a salve to help soothe the itching ready for her upon her return, which thankfully would be sometime later this evening. Dorian cast another spell dealing with the cold and their horses made a break for it as they entered the mountain passes where the climate started to become too cold for the irritating things. "Oh, Maker! Sweet relief!" Mystia could almost cry and she could tell the others were just as glad to be rid of the tiny buzzing insects as she was. It didn't matter if it was spring, summer or fall, she found that mosquitoes were attracted to her no matter what she did, and she had tried everything to drive them away. But living in a place that was surrounded by mountains with snow on them year round had its advantages as that was a huge relief to her.

"We are home," Varric said as their horses picked up the pace a bit. Once they were inside the gate, Mystia led her horse over to the stables where a stablehand was quick to take the reins as she hopped down.

"Make sure to give the horses a good rub down. The mosquitoes are thick this year." Mystia told the young man as the Stable Master nodded in understanding, Mystia knew Cullen was in a meeting at this moment with an "important noble" and decided against going to find him as she headed up directly to their room where she found that a soothing bath was getting started. Mystia smiled to herself as she began to remove her armor while fighting the urge to scratch at the bites on her left arm. Once the bath was fully prepared, Mystia was just yanking out her rawhide hairband when Cullen came up out of breath as he had barely been able to hold back his worry for her. Upon seeing her he let out a sigh of relief and she shook her head, he had taken the steps two at a time and she knew that it wore him out to do that. "You do realize that you aren't as young as you used to be right?" She asked in a teasing tone as he caught her words and gave her an unamused looked, which had her turning away to hide the smile on her face as she lifted up her leg and placed it on her chair to start undoing the strap where a dagger rested in its sheath on her lower leg.

"I know but soon enough you will be struggling with those stairs as well." He explained walking over to her after he managed to catch his breath. "Let me see." He said as she lifted up her arm, "this is worse than the last time you went out."

"What can I say? The fuckers love me." Mystia frowned as he stood shaking his head. "I thought you had a meeting to be in?" She questioned as she sat down to remove her boots.

"Josephine took over as they began to talk politics."

"Ah so it was the usual: Get the Commander to show up and discuss military things then send him away when he's not useful anymore." Mystia frowned as he shrugged. "She and I are going to have a long discussion about that later." Cullen chuckled as he imagined how that conversation would go. He helped her remove the rest of her outfit and as she entered the bath he went to lock the door to give them some privacy and soon found his armor and underclothing removed and joined her. He helped to scrub her down and kissed the back of her neck as they relaxed for a stolen moment. Cullen had a thought and Mystia seemed to be sharing it as she carefully turned around and ending up straddling him, they kissed which turned into a fiery passion as they remained together in the tub. Bull had confirmed Cullen's and Mystia's thought and now all Cullen wanted to do was keep her close. By the time Cullen had released into her, both were well spent with their energy and now he was running his hand through Mystia's soaking hair.

"I had Bull watching you while you were gone." Cullen finally admitted as she looked at him.

"He already beat you to that and told me." Mystia kissed him as they finally decided to climb out of the cooling water and soon snuggled against each other in the bed after drying off. "I love you," Mystia told Cullen as he smiled. "And I already love our child no matter who he or she will be when they grow up."

"I love you both as well." Cullen had never dreamed of being a father but now he could dream of it with a heart that held love for both Mystia and his unborn child. "One more battle and then I know you both will be safe back here in my arms." Placing a hand on her stomach he nuzzled Mystia and together they fell asleep with the feelings of love wrapping around them.

*****

_Mystia felt her blade slip from her grasp, the rain was pounding around her as the Breach was barely visible from the clouds. She was soaked to the bone, her blood was flowing from several wounds and her hair was plastered to her face and neck with a lock of it resting between her eyes. I_ t's finally over...It's finally...  _Mystia felt her eyelids growing heavy, the final battle had taken every ounce of her strength, her energy, and now she heard her shield hit the ground at the same time her knees all but smashed into the stone ground. She had been hit by flying debris, which had gone through a lung and cut her heart open to allow it to pump blood into the rest of her body. Shivering Mystia felt tears sliding down her cheeks, she had defeated Corypheus by using the Anchor to put a rift into him and had slain him with that rift, but now as her adrenaline wore off she could feel darkness approaching and somehow she knew that her time to make the next part of her journey had come. Falling onto her side, she managed to stretch out her legs and was barely able to roll onto her back to stare up at the night sky as the rain continued to fall, she heard voices and saw a familiar shape landing on his knees next to her; she felt an arm lift up her torso and managed to look past the growing darkness to stare one last time into familiar amber glowing eyes that were wet with unshed tears. Reaching up she brushed her left hand over his cheek and smiled. "Forgive...me..." Mystia whispered as the darkness in her sight grew._

_"Mystia...don't try to speak...you need to save your strength..." his deep voice that was was always so gentle to her held a sorrow so deep that Mystia closed her eyes before reaching to remove her mother's amulet from around her neck. Once it was off, she weakly managed to lift the hand he had on her stomach up and placed it in his grasp._

_"My time...has come...Cullen..." She said her voice growing weaker and weaker by the moment. As his eyes looked to see the amulet she had placed there. "This was my....mother's amulet...I know it was silly of me..." she closed her eyes and groaned with pain. "But it was the only thing I kept..." she opened her eyes to look at him again. "Keep it...to...remember me...by....." her voice trailed off as her eyes closed and Cullen felt his own eyes grow wider as tears began to slide down his cheeks._

_"Mystia?" He asked but no response came from her. He rested his forehead on hers, and his shoulders began to shake as he closed his eyes. Silence fell as the rain continued to pour as everyone finished coming up to see Cullen holding Mystia in his arms as he cried. No one dared to speak, for no words could be spoken. What could any of them say? Everyone watched as Cullen pulled his head away from Mystia's and from his chest, he let forth a cry only a man who was truly in love could let out at the death of his only love._

"Cullen!" Mystia's voice broke the nightmare as he sat upright with hand flying to his unsheathed sword, next to their bed. "It's alright! It was just a bad dream." She whispered soothingly as he cast a glance around the room. "We are fine. Corypheus is dead and gone." She told him as he finally looked at her to see that she was right.

"What about?"

"Ellis is fine as well, he's just sleeping-" Then the crying sounds of an almost three-old sounded and Mystia sighed. "Well, he was sleeping." Mystia frowned as she went to get up until Cullen stopped her.

"Let me." Cullen smiled, "You stay here and get some rest." He told her as she sat back down to watch as the father of her only child (at this time) went to Ellis's room and gently as could be scooped his son into his arms, Mystia lay down and closed her eyes and started drifting off. Cullen began to rock the boy back and forth carefully and spoke to his son with such pride that Mystia couldn't help but smile. "Hey now, why are you making so much noise? You'll wake your mommy, then Daddy'll get his butt beat." Cullen walked with his son over to the bed and sat down as he rested the child between him and Mystia, who reached over and rested her hand on her little one and Cullen placed his hand on hers with a smile. "You and your mother are the best things that have ever happened to me." Cullen smiled looking from his son to Mystia, she was not yet his wife, but if he planned it just right he was sure that she would say yes. Unfortunately for him, it would have to be during the Exalted Council to which he was not looking forward to at all as that would mean that Mystia would become stressed and he had noticed that the Anchor was starting to act strangely, and had started to note that Mystia was sometimes in excruciating pain though she hid it well but he knew her well enough to know that there was something she wasn't telling him and it frightened him.

****

A month later, Mystia was scrambling to find her son in the huge place and had come across her friends and former companions while in her search. "Bull! Oh, its good to see all of you again!" She smiled as Bull noticed her appearance.

"Lose the little Commander?" Bull asked as Mystia nodded.

Krem spoke up then. "Don't worry, your worship. He's round 'ere somewhere. We'll help ya look for him." Bull nodded to that as Mystia looked grateful as could be.

"Yeah, don't worry Boss, me and the Chargers will find him." Bull smiled as he motioned for the Chargers to split up and help search for Ellis. Mystia returned to searching on her own and came across two familiar faces with two others that didn't seem so familiar.

"Varric! Hawke!" She greeted the two she recognized and they turned to her as Varric waved.

"Inquisitor! Or should I start calling you Mrs. Rutherford?" He asked as she gave him a quick smile. "You like you've been back into the fade. What's wrong?"

"Believe me when I say I turned my back for a second and my son decided to take off on his own?"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Varric asked as Mystia gave a sheepish smile.

"He's like his mother, it seems." Cullen's voice came to them as Mystia whipped around to see her Husband carrying their rambunctious boy in his arms with a Mabari hound on his heels.

"Maker's Breath!" Mystia almost cried tears of both joy and relief as she raced forward to meet them halfway. "Ellis you had me so worried! Don't go running off like that again!" She frowned as the boy look down sadly.

"I sowwy mommy," the boy apologized as Hawke smiled with a raised brow towards Cullen who gave him a "I fell in love" look in response.

"Now if your father will let you, I have two people I want you to meet." She looked to Cullen who began to follow her up to Varric and Hawke. "My son, This is your Uncle Varric." Mystia pointed to Varric who smiled.

"Well, I'll be! He's almost a grown man!" Varric smiled as Ellis giggled. "Last time I saw you, you were barely three months old. Maybe later your mommy and Curly will let me tell you a really funny bedtime story." Ellis continued to giggle, as Cullen gave Varric a look that told the dwarf to watch it.

"And this," Mystia point to Hawke who smiled at the boy, but Hawke could sense what Mystia and Cullen could not and made it a point to speak with them later on it. "Is Hawke."

"He my uncle too?" Ellis asked as Mystia turned from her son to Hawke who shrugged.

"Sure why not? I'll be that cool Uncle who spoils you rotten then sends you home all hyped up on sweets." At Mystia and Cullen giving him a "you do and we will personally kill you" look Hawke laughed.  "Okay maybe not hyped up on sweets but I will give you sweets. But if I'm your Uncle Hawke then this man," He pointed beside him as the other man smiled towards the boy, "Is your Uncle Anders."

"Anders?" Mystia smiled warmly. "It's a pleasure to met you at last."

"As it is meet you as well, Inquisitor. Hawke has told me a lot about you."

"I'm sure nothing can compare to the adventures all of you had."

"No, but you do keep things entertaining," Varric commented. "Are you really disbanding the Inquisition?" he asked as Mystia nodded.

"That can be discussed later though," Cullen spoke up as he set Ellis on the ground to play with the Mabari who the boy was absolutely in love with.

"The first love outside of his parents, a Mabari hound." Mystia looked at Cullen then, "No, not his father's son at all." Mystia smiled as Cullen frowned.

"He's Ferelden through and through." Cullen smiled as Mystia shook her head.

"Half-Ferelden, my love. He is also part Free Marcher too or did you forget that before yesterday I  _WAS_  a Trevelyan." Mystia smiled in reminder as Cullen frowned for a moment.

"Wait before yesterday?" Hawke asked as Dorian came sauntering up.

"Did I miss the wedding between my dear cousin and the Commander? Tsk tsk, shame on you Mystia."

"Wouldn't that be shame on you for missing it, Dorian?" Mystia asked as Cullen and everyone present laughed. At the Tevinter mage's expense.

Before Dorian could speak again, Bull came walking up and clapped the man on his back. "My poor Kadan." Bull laughed until he saw Ellis rushing up to him.

"Unca Bull!"

"Hey, kiddo!" Bull smiled as he hoisted the boy up. "You know you gave your mommy a scare, that's not a very good boy doing that."

"I know..." Ellis looked slightly ashamed as Mystia had an idea.

"Bull, would you mind taking Ellis to visit with the Chargers?"

Bull recognized the look in Mystia's eyes and nodded, "Sure thing boss, Dalish will be happy to see the little man again and I know Krem will too." With that Bull walked away as Ellis climbed behind his head and ordered the burly Qunari to charge forward as Mystia looked to Cullen.

"What?" Cullen said looking at her confused as she watched him unamused.

" ** _NOT_**  at  _ALL_." Mystia frowned as the others laughed. "Looks like you calling him the "Little Commander" fits very well... not only is everyone calling him that but he fits it too well." She told Varric as the Dwarf smiled in return.

"You're welcome!" Varric smiled as Cullen was completely lost from the conversation.

"Anyways, Dorian did you...?"

"I think all of us who are mages that are present could feel it, your son will be a mage when he is older."

"I had a feeling he would be," Mystia nodded as Cullen looked at her. "I'm just glad things have changed for all the circles now."

"Agreed. Have you received a response from one of your brothers?" Cullen asked as she nodded.

"Ivan responded, I guess that Oliver was in the middle of railing into a recruit when the letter arrived but Ivan said that they would be happy to take Ellis in when he starts to show the signs. besides, they want to meet their nephew and Ivan wants to meet you."

"Oh this will be good," Dorian smiled but their fun was ruined when Bull came back alone.

"Krem has him, but boss you are going to want to see this."

Three hours later found Mystia stand behind the desk with the maps of Ferelden and Orlais in front of her, She was grateful that Hawke and Anders had offered to watch Ellis while Mystia and the others investigated into what had been discovered. She could hear Cullen arguing with Josephine but as Josephine spoke her last words Mystia felt the Anchor's power flare and began to struggle to control it. Once it was under control, she went on a minor tirade almost similar to Cullen's so long ago. "SHIT! Damn it!" Mystia growled low. "We save Ferelden, and they're angry! We save Orlais, and they're angry! We close the breach  _twice_  and now my own fucking hand is trying to kill me!" Cullen watched with Josephine and Leliana as Mystia ranted. "Could one thing in this fucking world just stay fixed?!" She exhaled a sighing, "I need to get to the Darvaarad. You can all fight amongst yourselves once I'm...Once I'm back." Mystia told them as Cullen walked forward to embrace her as she forced herself to not cry. Mystia spoke a few more times before looking at Cullen, "Take care of our son while I am away." He nodded to her words and with that she left the room.

****

A day later, Mystia was all storming towards the Council. Everyone who saw her noted that her left arm was missing below the elbow and whispers of something having happened to her began to circulate. She was quick to address everyone in the room (not knowing that her companions, Hawke, Anders, Cullen and her son were witnessing this), said more than was normal for her when she turned on the representatives for Ferelden and Orlais, while ignoring Cassandra who sat as the Divine. "We are not disbanding because Ferelden demands it! If it wasn't for the Inquisition you wouldn't be here!" She said point blank with a glare towards the representative, "And I will NOT allow the Inquisition to be paraded around like we are some kind of show ponies! the Inquisition and its people were  _my_  family and I plan on keeping it that way. The Inquisition will obey and answer to the Divine only." Mystia threw the book she held down on the ground. "My adventuring days might be over, but there is a threat looming on the horizon that is bigger then what Corypheus was and maybe both Ferelden and Orlais will see just how much you will have wanted to keep us around." With that, Mystia looked to Cassandra who was smiling at her with eyes glistening from holding back her laughter. "Divine Victoria," Mystia said respectfully before turning and leaving the room, with each step she could feel eyes on her but she didn't care. What she still did not know was that Ellis had seen his mother stand up for what was right and now wanted to be like her in more ways than one. Ellis was going to be a good man like his father was teaching him to be, but he would also follow his mother's tracks as when she had been the Inquisitor and would help to change the world for the better.


	14. Epilogue

**_Eighteen years later..._ **

Mystia looked towards her daughter as the girl laughed at her father who was in the midst of chasing her down after she had splashed mud all over him, eighteen years had passed since the Inquisition was transferred into the power of the Divine and to say that life was easier now would have been an overstatement but it was easier since both Mystia and Cullen had left the Templar Order and Inquisition behind to focus on their small family and their family that consisted of his siblings as well as hers. Smiling Mystia looked towards her son, Ellis who stood watching his sister and father. "Ellis be a dear and help me with getting everything ready for your Uncle Hawke and Uncle Anders. They will be here in a couple of hours and your father is acting like a child. Again." Mystia smiled as her son tried to hide a laugh.

"When is Dad going to learn that Sis does that to irritate him?" Ellis asked as Mystia shook her head as a scream of surprise had mother and son looking to see Cullen having finally caught the girl.

"He knows, he just doesn't care. Before I came into his life, your father was lost in a sense." Mystia told Ellis as the dark curly haired young man listened to her, like his father he styled his hair to hide the curls but Mystia knew they were there. She had given birth to him and had raised him, she knew **_all_** his little quirks. "Of course that's not saying that after we met our relationship blossomed rapidly. Your father could barely speak to me outside of talking about things to do with the troops and the Inquisition," Mystia noted Cullen shooing their blonde haired daughter off to get something from the chicken coop and smiled as the man entered into their house. "I remember the day I managed to work up the courage to first speak to him. That conversation was supposed to be about what I most needed to know and turned into a lecture that ended with an awkward flirt. Of course, I still tease your father relentlessly when it comes to it."

"Don't remind me." Cullen frowned as Ellis watched them. "But after that day everytime I noticed how stressed your mother was becoming I tried to make it easier on her and joke around with her."

" _Somedays I still think your father is a nutcase for it too,_ " Mystia whispered with a smile as Ellis stood to help her with doing a few things that were harder for her to do since she didn't have both hands. Yes, Dagna had made her a metal lower arm and hand with lyrium forged into it to have it function as a proper hand, but since Mystia saw no need to pick up sword and shield again she rarely if ever used it as she could still throw a knife with her right hand and still always kept a knife in her boot and she rarely missed her targets if she had to throw one of those. "Cullen?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Will you go grab the two extra chairs? Remember Hawke and Anders are coming today."

"I forgot about that!" Cullen said as he went to go grab the extra chairs.

"Would you believe me if I said your father was once a Templar?"

"If I didn't know it from the way he acts, stands and the way his office is kept orderly, I would say no." Ellis laughed as his sister came in.

"Weren't you a Templar mother?"

Mystia nodded, "That I was. Though unlike your father, I wasn't as neat and orderly. In fact, I was almost the opposite."

"Don't I know that!" Cullen said as their daughter walked over to help him. "Sylvia, would you mind going and getting my chess set, I plan on earning my title back from your Uncle Hawke as soon as he arrives." Mystia shook her head at that with a smile.

"Good luck with that dear. You said that the last twenty times he came over and have yet to do so." Mystia smiled as Cullen set the chairs in their appropriate places before he came over and smacked her ass. "CULLEN!" Mystia cried out as their daughter couldn't help but snicker while Ellis shook his head as Cullen kissed his wife on the cheek. But before he could say anything Sylvia cried out.

" _THEY'RE HERE!_ Uncle Hawke and Uncle Anders are here!" Sylvia put the chess set down on the table before racing out the door to greet the two men who were truly like uncles to her and Ellis.

"Why don't you go greet them as well, Ellis." Mystia turned to her soon who shook his head.

"I can wait, I want to help in here." Her son smiled as Mystia shrugged and let him be.

"Alright cut those up for me then, since your man-child of a father seems intent on setting up the chessboard.." She pointed over to a nearby counter that had the vegetables they had picked that very morning sitting on it and both heard Cullen protesting at being called a man-child.

"Yes mother," Ellis said as he walked over after washing his hands and began to cut up the vegetables as Hawke walked in.

"Good lad helping out your stubborn mother." Hawke smiled as Anders and Sylvia followed. Anders was quick to go help Mystia as she frowned at Hawke who looked at Cullen and proceeded to sit across from the man. "As for your title of being an excellent chess player, Cullen. Well, be prepared to not earn it back." Hawke loved to taunt Cullen with that and Cullen often amused him by pretending to be riled up about it.

"Men-children." She muttered as Anders shook his head. "Married to Cullen for eighteen years and still don't understand how in the world his mind works."

"I don't think anyone will ever understand him, I know I will never understand how Hawke's mind works." With that, Anders, Ellis, and Mystia prepared dinner while Cullen and Hawke dueled it out on the chessboard and Sylvia went to sharpen and clean her sword. But as she passed her brother, the two shared a knowing look that was missed by the rest. A look that spoke volumes about what they knew was coming and what the two were planning.

****

Night fell quietly upon the land a week later and Sylvia walked her horse towards her brother, both in full armor. "Ellis, you know how our mother feels about this."

"I know, Sylvia. But mother and father both told Divine Victoria that they refuse to continue on with the hunt for the one named Solas. Besides we both spoke with our Aunt in private, we have to help in some way. Mom and Dad both deserve this. Now let's get moving, Dorian will be waiting to get us into the Imperium." With those words, Ellis and Sylvia kicked their horses into a gallop and vanished from the sight of the house where their mother stood watching with their Father having his arms crossed.

"Seems like a new journey has begun," Mystia said as Cullen looked at her.

"Are you sure about letting them go?" He asked with a frown.

"Cullen, our children are adults now we can't stop them even if we wanted to." Mystia closed her blue eyes as Cullen reached over and wrapped his arm around her with a kiss on her forehead. "I just pray to the Maker that they both return home safely."

"So do I," he held his loving wife close. "So do I."


End file.
